Govt. may oppose Sripathi’s select committee motion

By Chandani Kirinde

The Government is unlikely to back a motion on Thursday for the setting up of a Parliamentary Select Committee to probe an alleged secret pact between the LTTE and the government. The government is taking up a position that since the motion was presented by an individual member, in this case Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, it need not back the motion.

“If party leaders had discussed the issue and brought the motion, we would have considered supporting it,” Minister John Seneviratne said. The motion, tabled in parliament by Mr. Sooriyarachchi in July, seeks the appointment of a select committee to probe whether there was an agreement with the LTTE, and if so who the persons representing the different parties were and what sums of money were paid and to whom.

Chief opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera said the UNP would support the motion. JVP MP Anura Dissanayake was non committal on how the party would vote but said the appointment of a select committee would be a step in the right direction to dispel the misgivings that have arisen due to the rumours about the alleged secret deal with the LTTE.