The Parliament Select Committee (PSC) investigating the Easter Sunday terror attacks can take necessary action against UPFA MP Dayasiri Jayasekara if he does not comply with its summons, Leader of the House Minister Lakshman Kiriella said in Parliament yesterday.
He made this observation in reply to MP Dayasiri Jayasekara who requested the Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri, to allow him not to appear before the PSC as requested.
“If MP Jayasekara does not appear before the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) inquiring into the Easter Sunday terror attacks, the PSC can take necessary action against his action.” Kiriella pointed out.
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said that he does not want to appear before the PSC because it would violate his Parliamentary privileges.
“Continuation of the PSC seems prejudicial to the cases that are heard before the Supreme Court on the Easter Sunday terror attacks. It is a violation of Standing Orders. I don’t want to appear before the PSC because doing so violates my Parliamentary privileges. I am requesting you to allow me to do that since you also chair the PSC,” Jayasekara, addressing Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri said.
In reply, Minister Kiriella said there was no case being heard before the Supreme Court on the Easter Sunday incidents. “There are only fundamental rights petitions in relation to April 21 incident. They are not cases heard before the SC,” he said.
Speaking further, Minister Kiriella charged that MP Jayasekara wanted to skip the PSC due to personal reasons. “MP Jayasekara is not appearing before the PSC because he got involved in the incident that followed the terror attacks. Did you not go to Police to release some of the suspects who were involved in the communal violence? He is not going to the PSC due to personal reasons. He was shown on television, too,” Kiriella remarked.
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, who vehemently denied Minister Kiriella’s claims, pointed out that the PSC had not summoned him before it due to the aforementioned incidents. MP Jayasekara was involved in an incident in relation to the communal violence incidents at Minuwangoda recently.
He pointed out that he has already given evidence before the CID for three and half hours about his involvement in the incident. “I was only trying to stop a commotion that was about to erupt. People would have attacked the police if not for the intervention. I was not trying to free anybody.” Jayasekara said.
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