By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera   

Refuting claims that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) was behind the violence after the May 9 incident, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday questioned why police and army were not called into control the situation.  

He told Parliament that the JVP members were not connected to the acts of arson and violence after the May 9 incident and requested the government to conduct an impartial investigation into the attack on peaceful protesters and the acts of violence afterwards.  

“We are ready to face any investigation,” he said.  The MP said the suspects who were arrested over the incident in Gampaha, Anuradhapura, Kamburupitiya, Deniyaya and Dewundara were not members of the JVP.   He said police and army were not called in to control the situation which arose after the May 9 incident because of the power struggle between the President and the Prime Minister.  

“The army and the police are under the President. Why were  they were not called into prevent the attacks and acts of arson. The President wanted to embarrass the Prime Minister and create a situation where he was forced to step down.