Vijayakala Maheswaran’s issue referred to AG: Speaker

• PM says P’ment will hold inquiry, House prorogued after uproar  
• UNP distances itself from speech, backbenchers call for removal
• JVP calls for investigation by Parliamentary Privileges Committee  

By Skandha Gunasekara

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday referred the issue of the remarks made by State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran to the Attorney General’s (AG) department for investigations and to seek advice on what action to take.

In a statement, the Speaker’s office noted that the question of what disciplinary action would be taken against the State Minister was raised in Parliament.

According to the statement, the Speaker had referred the issue to the AG’s Department for a determination on whether the provisions of the Constitution had been violated and what legal action could be taken in this regard.

Several MPs in Parliament had pointed out that State Minister Maheswaran’s remarks had violated the provisions of Section 7 of the Constitution. 

Reports that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had requested her removal from President Maithripala Sirisena were unconfirmed. However, sources at the Prime Minister’s Office said that Wickremesinghe had ordered the State Minister to return immediately to Colombo to face the inquiry the Prime Minister had promised in Parliament.  

Meanwhile, distancing the United National Party from the statements made by State Minister Maheswaran, UNP spokesperson Harin Fernando yesterday said that her opinion did not reflect the party’s position.

“The UNP does not want to have a Hitler for the South nor a Prabhakaran for the North. The country does not want such people. Vijayakala Maheswaran expressed her opinion as an individual living in a democratic society. But we reject that opinion and strongly condemn it,” Fernando said, speaking at the weekly press briefing held at party headquarters Sirikotha.

“The Party Chairman has said that a disciplinary inquiry will be carried out against the State Minister,” said Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment Minister Fernando.

He added that State Minister Maheshwaran would address a media briefing on Friday and reveal the reason behind her statement and what she had really expected after making such a statement.

UNP backbencher parliamentarians also condemned Maheswaran’s statement that LTTE rule should return to the North, calling on the party hierarchy to remove her from the UNP.  

UNP MP Heshan Withanage, addressing a media briefing held at the parliamentary complex, said that the UNP leadership must take swift action.

“We vehemently denounce the shocking remarks made by MP Maheswaran. We call on the UNP leadership to take immediate action against her. It is unacceptable that a parliamentarian, let alone a Government Minister, makes such remarks. Such a person should not be a member of an esteemed party such as the UNP,” he said.

However, the MP went on to charge that the Joint Opposition was using this incident to shield itself from the repercussions of the recent New York Times article revealing Chinese funding for former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s 2015 presidential election campaign.

“We condemn the Joint Opposition for trying to use this issue to protect themselves from the fallout of the New York Times article. They have jumped at this opportunity to distract the masses from their wrongdoings,” MP Withanage said.

UNP MPs Thushara Indunil Withanage and Chaminda Wijesiri also took part in the media briefing.

In addition, the JVP yesterday called on Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to have State Minister Maheswaran investigated through the Parliament Privileges Committee.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath made these remarks while addressing a media briefing held at the parliamentary complex.

MP Herath said that his party categorically condemned the statements made by State Minister Maheswaran.

“We all suffered because of the LTTE and calling for the revival of a terrorist outfit is unconstitutional and against the oath she had taken as an MP. The Speaker should refer the matter to the Privileges Committee and hold an inquiry against the deputy minister. If she is found guilty, then she should be removed from her MP post,” he said.

He said that the State Minister must apologise to the country.

In addition, MP Herath charged that that due to the lawlessness of the country an environment had been created where such unconstitutional statements could be made publicly.

“That is why people are calling for Hitler-type leaders and the LTTE. The Government, which did nothing while the country was sliding towards anarchy, should take responsibility. It should first tell its position on the matter because the State Minister made that statement at a Presidential Mobile Service while two cabinet ministers - the Minister of External Affairs and the Minister of Internal Affairs - were present. So we want to know the Government’s standpoint on the issue.”

Furthermore, MP Herath said that the uproar in Parliament, which forced its hasty adjournment, could have been avoided had the Government taken steps when the incident took place over the weekend.  

“But the Government failed to act on time. This situation cannot go unpunished. It would set a wrong precedent if it is not checked right now. The Government is bound by duty to take action,” MP Herath said.

JVP MPs Bimal Ratnayake and Sunil Handunnetti were also present at the press briefing.