CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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UNP complains to IPU, CPA on attack in House
Despite Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa’s assurance that he will probe the reasons that led to Monday’s violence in the House, United National Party (UNP) MP Jayalath Jayewardene said yesterday the party had complained to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in Britain. The main Opposition walked out of parliament during the Budget speech after they were manhandled by some of the government MPs.
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said police officers had attempted to search his office in parliament on the first day of the Budget speech. Dr. Jayawardena said on that day he and UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake were carrying books and documents pertaining to the Budget and that these were taken away by police officers as they entered the parliamentary complex. He said those items were not returned to them and added that they had the parliamentary privilege to take documents into parliament but they had been denied that right.
“When I raised this matter with the Speaker on the floor of the House he said nobody can bring questionable documents into parliament. I questioned him as to what was questionable about the documents we had with us and asked him to give us a list of what he considered as questionable. The Speaker did not answer,” Dr. Jayawardena said.
Commenting on statements by government MPs that what the UNP did was pre-planned, Dr. Jayawardena said the UNP had the right to plan a good and effective strategy.“We will work according to the plan and agenda set out by the UNP, not that of the government,” he said. (Olindhi Jayasundere)
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