UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra yesterday raised a privilege issue alleging that under the advice of President Maithripala Sirisena, she had been prevented from participating in a TV programme on July 1 telecast on ITN.

She told parliament that she had been invited a week ago to participate in this particular programme but that on the previous night she was asked by an ITN official not to come to the programme on the following day.

"When I asked why, I was told that the President had advised them not to take me to the programme," the MP said.

She said it was a violation of her privileges to prevent her from participating in a programme telecast on a state TV channel.

The MP said this happened after she made a statement in Parliament on June 27 in which she said that at the Parliament Select Committee probing the Easter Sunday attack that the President was responsible for the incident.

"I made the statement on June 27 and my invitation to the programme was cancelled on June 30," she said.

The MP requested the Speaker to refer the matter to the privileges committee.  (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)