By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

Commotion in Parliament including fisticuffs and a protest inside the chambers yesterday made Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywaradana suspend sessions twice yesterday.
The Speaker suspended the session for the first time around 10.30 am after losing his cool. The speaker lost his cool due to Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha who kept on speaking continuously after raising a point of order. 

The MP was speaking continuously even after being requested to stop as the House should move according to the agenda planned for the day. However, he was compelled to suspend sessions as the MP went on speaking while other MPs from both sides became noisy.

The House resumed a few minutes later but pandemonium reigned when SJB MPs took up placards and banners shouting slogans against the President and former Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa.  “Gota go home if you cannot deliver what you promise (Gotabaya me ahanna weda berinam gedera yanna)‘ they shouted.

All hell broke loose minutes later when a physical clash occured between SJB MP Mujibur Rahaman and government MP Milan Jayatilaka. A number of government and SJB MPs rushed to the scene. Government MP Jayantha Ketagoda tried to pull a banner. Speaker adjourned sessions at that time. Sessions resumed shortly before the lunch interval.