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The fiasco surrounding the resignation of former Speaker Ashoka Ranwala following the controversy over the authenticity of his doctorate reverberated in Parliament throughout the two days it was in session this week, as arguments over the qualifications of various MPs overshadowed most other legislative business.

It even became comical at some points. Ratnapura District NPP MP Dr. Janaka Senarathna produced transcripts of his O/Level and A/Level results, his MBBS medical degree from the Sri Jayewardenepura University, a certificate on the completion of his medical internship, and the registration document from the Sri Lanka Medical Council. In producing them, he challenged Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dr. Kavinda Jayawardhana to prove his medical qualifications. The SJB MP responded the same afternoon, noting he had obtained his medical degree in India and is a fully qualified medical doctor. However, he added he has been engaged in full-time politics since 2014. “I don’t intend to practise medicine in Sri Lanka, but if I do, I will take the appropriate steps,” he said.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, who produced a list of educational certificates on Wednesday in response to a challenge made by Chief Government Whip Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa, even brought along a copy of his birth certificate, “just in case someone chooses to question that also,” he said.

There were heated exchanges when Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe referred to allegations against Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa that he sat for his final examination at Sri Lanka Law College, seated alone in an air-conditioned room. Mr. Rajapaksa shot back, refuting the minister’s allegations and pledging to resign from his MP seat if the allegations were backed up by evidence. Mr. Rajapaksa challenged Minister Samarasinghe to do so if he failed to prove the allegations against him.

There were arguments regarding professional qualifications as well. Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, who had earlier complained to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding the title of “Dr.” being erroneously prefixed to his name in the directory of Members in Parliament’s website, got involved in a heated debate with SJB MP Ajith P. Perera over the latter using the title “Adhineethignya” (Senior Counsel) next to his name.

Minister Nanayakkara pointed out that following the introduction of the Administration of Justice Law of 1973, the branches of Advocate (Barrister) and Proctor (Solicitor) had been merged, and thereafter, all lawyers were known as attorneys-at-law. “There can’t be any ‘Adhineethignyas‘ after that, except at the Attorney General’s Department, he pointed out. “I worked at the AG’s Department from 2000 to 2004, and I was called a State Counsel”, the
minister said, adding that he left that title behind when he left the AG’s Department. He said SJB MP Ajith P. Perera, who is in
private practice, cannot use the term ‘Adhineethignya’
next to his name.

Mr. Perera, though, argued that presently, the law recognises two types of lawyers: instructing attorneys and counsel. The term counsel means “Adineethignya,” said Mr. Perera, adding he has qualified as an attorney-at-law and works as a counsel. He also produced leaflets printed for Mr. Nanayakkara’s general election campaigns in 2020 and 2024 and claimed that the minister had used the term “Adineethignya,” while asking people to vote for him. An angry Minister Nanayakkara hit back, saying he had clearly stated in the leaflets that he had worked as a counsel with the AG’s Department and that he does not use the title with his name. The heated exchange between the two left the chair struggling to control proceedings at times.

SJB MP Nalin Bandara, meanwhile, challenged the entire Cabinet to present their educational qualifications. “They are talking like Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala is an SJB MP,” he quipped.

New Democratic Front (NDF) Kalutara district MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena called for MPs to exercise restraint and not throw mud at each other over qualifications. He said that what was most important was to obtain a “social degree” (samaaja upaadiya) by working for the people. “I don’t possess a PhD or a professor title, but I do have a social degree, having represented Parliament for 24 years. I was even spared from being swept away by the political storm (that defeated so many former MPs). That was because I stayed with the people,” he remarked.

Do NPP MPs suffer from mediaphobia?

It is a known secret in journalistic circles that there has been some hesitancy among the newly elected NPP
parliamentarians, particularly cabinet ministers, to respond when the media approaches them with questions on critical issues.

When one such newly elected MP was contacted by a media institution for brief bio-data details, the MP responded by saying he had to check with party headquarters before sharing those details.

The latest such incident was when a YouTuber/talk show anchor tried to reach out to a minister for an interview.

The anchor took the matter public, tweeting about it on platform X, saying that she requested an interview from the minister and was surprised when he said he needed permission now before facing an interview.
Is this the new NPP stance?” she asked.

Fresh crisis looms as research vessel ban ends

Amidst the growing India-China geopolitical rivalry in the region, Sri Lanka, being in a strategic location in the Indian Ocean and facing a dilemma over balancing its relations with the two Asian powers, is experiencing yet another crisis. It stems from the government’s decision to end the one-year moratorium on foreign research vessels entering Lankan territorial waters by early next year.

The controversy over the berthing of research vessels in Sri Lankan waters was raised on Monday when Indian Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri met the media. He said, “India’s understanding is that the Sri Lankan government is looking at this issue. There are a number of considerations that they need to take into account. We did highlight from our perspective the role that India could play in a number of activities related to maritime security, maritime research, etc.

“As I mentioned in my earlier remarks as well, we pointed to the importance and the sensitivity of our security interests in this area. President Disanayake was very upfront in saying that he would ensure that nothing was done by using Sri Lankan territory that might impact India’s security. So, we will continue to engage with the government of Sri Lanka on all these issues, and we are confident that issues of importance such as these will continue to be given due care by the government of Sri Lanka.”

Addressing a media briefing here days after the visit of President Anura Kumara Disanayake, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath stressed that the government plans to formulate a committee similar to the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) before removing the moratorium.

The previous government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe slapped the moratorium to navigate the geopolitical pressures in the region by sending diplomatic notes to countries that often send such research vessels.

A concerned journalist contacted the Foreign Ministry to find out whether there was an SOP set up in the past, to which the response came back negative. When asked when the new government would appoint a similar committee, the response was, it is “yet to be appointed.”

Opposition leader reveals he was lectured by PM

An interesting connection between Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya was revealed in Parliament on Wednesday when Mr. Premadasa presented his educational qualifications to Parliament.

This was in response to a challenge made the previous day by Chief Government Whip Nalinda Jayathissa, who asked Mr. Premadasa to produce the degree certificate he claims to possess from the London School of Economics (LSE).

Mr. Premadasa promised that he would provide all of his educational certificates, not just his degree from the LSE. True to his word, he presented the certificates, giving an extensive history of his primary, secondary, and higher education.

But the most interesting revelation was related to Mr. Premadasa’s enrolment for a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Environmental Science at the Open University of Sri Lanka in 2021/22. “I studied for the degree on a part-time basis as I also had to juggle my duties as Opposition Leader,” he said, adding that he even attended a few lectures conducted by now Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who was lecturing at the Open University. “I must say that she is a very good lecturer,” Mr. Premadasa added, looking at the PM. He said he could not complete the MSc degree owing to the crisis in the country in 2022.

The revelation that their leader had once been a student of the PM evidently took some of Mr. Premadasa’s own Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) colleagues by surprise. “You never told us this,” said an SJB MP sitting near Mr. Premadasa. “I kept it a state secret until now,” replied the opposition leader.

Clean Sri Lanka: Govt. urged to come clean with task force devoid of minorities

Since the official gazette notification was issued on setting up the Presidential Task Force (PTF) of the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, it came under severe scrutiny from certain quarters for lack of minority representation.

The initiative came into effect through an extraordinary gazette notification issued by the Presidential Secretariat on December 19, detailing the mandate of the PTF. The 18-member task force consists of commanders of tri-forces and the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP). The PTF is tasked to plan, guide, implement, review the progress, and complete the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme within a given time frame aiming to achieve the objectives of elevating society to a more advanced status through a social, environmental, and ethical awakening.

The criticism was shared on social media platforms as well, with users taking the liberty to register their disappointment. Quoting one such tweet on social media platform X, ex-Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran responded: “Perhaps they are clean already or don’t need any state intervention .”