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| Saturday, 24 July 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| JHU joins Govt. in opposing TNA MP's statement The nine Bhikku MPs of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday threw in their lot with the Government in opposing the statement made by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna District Parliamentarian S. Gajendran on Tuesday which was expunged from the Hansard due to its inflammatory nature. Barring Ven. Aparekke Punnananda Thera, the rest of the JHU MPs are supporting the UNP led joint Opposition which also includes the TNA. The JHU were signatories to a joint Opposition statement calling for the enhancement of Parliamentary democracy and other reforms. However yesterday the JHU lent its signature to a Government statement calling on Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara to initiate an inquiry on the "threatening and anti-Government " statement by the MP. In terms of Parliament support this would amount to 117 MPs for the Government. The Government statement forwarded to Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara is as follows. "A Member of Parliament has the freedom of expression in this august assembly. But that freedom should be exercised responsibly, critically and not recklessly. We cannot consider it as responsible exercise of freedom within this House, when a Member makes a threatening and anti-government statement. "This statement is a serious threat especially to the Security Forces of Sri Lanka and generally to the sovereignty of the State. When a statement of this nature is made within the precincts of this august assembly itself, which is considered as the repository of democracy, it would be a challenge to the very House itself. "Therefore, we, the undersigned request you earnestly to initiate an inquiry against S. Gajendran, MP, Jaffna District, who made the above statement, and to ensure that in future nobody is allowed to make such derogatory and threatening statements within the precincts of this august assembly." |
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