The row over the controversial opposition meeting held at the Colombo Municipal Council premises intensified yesterday with Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil seeking police assistance to resolve the issue.
Cinnamon Gardens Police rushed to the Town Hall on Friday evening following a complaint by the mayor that the UPFA members led by opposition leader Milinda Moragoda were unlawfully using a room in the CMC premises for a meeting. The police locked the room and handed over the key to the Municipal Commissioner Bhadrani Jayewardena.
The mayor accused the opposition members of breaking the lock of the room and conducting a meeting there against his orders.
Colombo DIG Anura Senanayake and other officers rushed to the Town Hall after the mayor’s complaint. However, it was only after the UPFA members concluded the meeting that the room was locked.
The CMC’s Chief Opposition Whip M.N. Manzeer said they had got the room on the recommendation of the Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and had not violated any laws.
However, Mr. Muzammil said the UPFA members had acted arbitrarily and he had asked the police to take action against them.
The mayor said that according to the CMC procedures, no office was allocated to the opposition leader. He said the Commissioner Jayewardena had spent council money and refurbished two rooms to be used by opposition members. |
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