Parliament in turmoil

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   

Parliament was plunged into disarray yesterday, compelling Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana to halt proceedings for more than half an hour following a heated exchange ignited by Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa marking his remarks about a Supreme Court judgement convicting former Presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and others for the economic crisis.  

 In response to the chaotic scenes that unfolded, Speaker Abeywardana took action, forbidding video recording of sessions and live streaming on social media platforms. He gave a stern warning promising severe consequences for MPs who flout the directive.   

Tension reached crescendos when Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha defiantly filmed the escalating situation on his mobile phone despite the Speaker’s explicit instructions to cease recording. Mr. Jayamaha persisted, triggering a confrontation as ruling party legislators flooded the aisles and confronted the Opposition Leader and his colleagues.   

Amid the tumult, accusations flew between MPs, with ruling party members leveling allegations against Premadasa, claiming he had stolen treasures from temples. One MP provocatively mentioning forged currency notes allegedly linked to Premadasa’s sister.   

A visual spectacle unfolded as MPs engaged in pushing and shouting, further staining the decorum of the parliamentary session. Notable scuffles involved MPs Hector Apphamy, J. C Alawathuwela, and Thushara Indunil Amarasena from the opposition, and ruling party MPs Prasanna Ranaweera, Indika Anuruddha, and Sarath Nishantha.   
A document exchange added to the chaos, with Sarath Nishantha grabbing a document from the Opposition Leader, only for it to be retrieved by the Serjeant-at-Arms. Despite the intervention, Premadasa initially refused to accept the returned document.   

Upon the resumption of proceedings, the Speaker outlined his decisions. Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella called for immediate action against ruling party members involved in the upheaval, underscoring the urgency of the situation.   

As tensions persisted, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe urged the Speaker to guide Sajith Premadasa towards assuming a more responsible role as the Leader of the Opposition.   
Despite the pandemonium, the Speaker eventually allowed Premadasa to raise his question, marking a fragile return to parliamentary order amidst ongoing demands for repercussions against specific MPs involved in the unruly scenes.