Rahaman writes to Speaker: Act against Foreign Secretary

UNP MP Mujibur Rahaman, in a letter addressed to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, has requested action against Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinghe whom he had accused of making defamatory references on Mr. Jayasuriya in parliament.

Mr Rahaman said in his letter that Mr. Aryasinghe had made defamatory references in his communiqué sent to heads of Sri Lankan missions abroad on November 10, 2018, just after the dissolution of parliament.

In this communiqué the Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the reason for President Maithripala Sirisena to dissolve parliament was the state of uncertainty that prevailed regarding the behaviour of Speaker.

He had also mentioned that President Maithiripala Sirisena’s attention was drawn to the information that the Speaker, contrary to the constitution and standing orders of parliament, was attempting to change parliamentary procedure and not proceed with the statement of government policy that was to have been delivered by the President himself.

These statements, Mr. Rahaman said, were defamatory on the Speaker and parliament. Citing examples from the House of Commons in the UK and the Indian Parliament, he advised that reflections on the character of the Speaker and accusations of partiality have been held to be contempt of parliament and breech of privilege.

The MP urged the Speaker to take appropriate action. “I request you to look into this matter and take such action as you deem appropriate in the circumstances to protect the dignity of the House and the Speaker,” MP Rahaman said in this letter. (Yohan Perera)