Chaos in House as TNA MPs protest

There were chaotic scenes in Parliament yesterday as Tamil MPs staged a loud protest against the killing of fellow MP Nadarajah Raviraj as well as the food shortage in Vakarai, which led to suspension of sittings for more than two hours as well as some ugly scenes.

It was one of the noisiest and longest protests by the MPs of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) with its Jaffna district MP M.K.Sivajilingam at one point removing his shirt in protest, only to be persuaded to put it on shortly by fellow MPs. It was unprecedented un-parliamentary behaviour and as Minister T.B.Ekanayake said later during the course of the debate, an offence which should have led to the suspension of the MP from Parliament.

Some of the unruly MPs also walked up to Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara’s table and began thumping it loudly. This led to several Government, JVP and UNP MPs making a circle around the Speaker’s table to safeguard the beleaguered Speaker and push the TNA MPs away.

Tensions were high as heated words were changed between the protesting MPs and other MPs with Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva taking the lead in defence of the Speaker. The problems began soon after sittings began at 9.30 a.m. to debate the second reading of the Budget.

The TNA MPs walked into the Well of the House carrying posters accusing the Government of being responsible for Mr.Raviraj’s death and asking for a stop to killings. Prior to the protest TNA parliamentary group leader R.Sampanthan made a statement in which he said the country and the world at large should know the truth about who killed Mr.Raviraj and questioned if he was killed because of the views he held and for freely expressing them by word and deed.

The Speaker suspended the sittings around 10.15 a.m. due to the loud protests and sittings re-commenced only around 12.25 p.m.
Mr. Sampanthan earlier raised the issue of food shortages in Vakarai and Kathiravelli and said despite assurances from the President that goods would be sent there on Wednesday, it had not been done.

He alleged lorries sent there were turned back at an Army checkpoint close to Mankerni. During the suspension , a party leader’s meeting was called and Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle contacted the Defence Secretary to get an assurance that food lorries would be sent immediately. However when sittings resumed, the majority of the TNA MP’s were in no mood for compromise and continued with the loud protest.

The Speaker decided to continue with sittings and Constitutional Affairs Minister Dew Gunesekara had the unenviable task of shouting to be heard above all the noise being created by the TNA. He was followed by JVP MP Piyasiri Wijenayake who was critical of the Budget saying it was like a ‘poem’, which failed to meet the aspirations of the people especially the working class. Ironically he was cheered on by government MPs as well eager to drown the voices of the TNA MPs.

Exhausted by nearly one hours’ shouting several of the TNA MPs wanted to suspend the protest and after seeking and getting an assurance from Mr.Fernandopulle that five lorries were on the way to Vakarai and that some others were leaving soon. Mr.Sampanthan asked the MPs to suspend their protest. As they left the chamber waving their arms in defiance, several JVP MPs hooted loudly. This drew criticism from JHU MP Athuraliya Rathana Thera.

The monk MP said the TNA party leader had assured they were suspending the protest and hooting and behaving in this manner was un-parliamentary and should not have happened.