By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

SJB will not be able to support the government in arresting the COVID-19 pandemic if opposition MPs are harassed, chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday.  

Mr. Kiriella was referring to a request made by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and other opposition members to allow MP Rishad Bathiudeen to come to Parliament and the argument raised by Minister Sarath Weerasekera that Mr. Bathidueen should not be allowed to come to the sessions till the investigations are completed.  
“We will not be in a position to support the government to curb the COVID-19 pandemic if the government harassed Opposition MPs. However we will support you if you put politics aside and genuinely follow the advice of health experts in curbing the pandemic,” he told MPs in the government benches.  

“If you cannot lock down the nation at least do it on a provincial basis. COVID-19 is spreading rapidly. Isolation of Piliyandala has been lifted without the consent of health officials,” he said.  

“Use the university buildings as COVID treatment centres as it can be done easily since all universities are closed,” he also said.  

TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran said not allowing MP Bathiudeen to come to Parliament as he is arrested under the PTA and detained for three months is a bad precedent. Any opposition member could lose his parliamentary seat this way,” he said.