A No-Confidence Motion against Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government was passed in Parliament yesterday (16).
Patali Champika Ranawaka speaking to media said the motion was passed with a majority during this afternoon’s parliamentary session.With Parliament scheduled to take up a No-Confidence Motion against Mahinda Rajapaksha, United People’s Freedom Alliance Parliamentarians surrounded the Speaker’s chair to delay the proceeding. An unruly scene was witnessed in Parliament this afternoon as UPFA Parliamentarians were witnessed chanting slogans in the Parliament chamber even prior to the commencement of the scheduled session. UPFA MP Arundika Fernando was occupying the seat of the Speaker surrounded by UPFA MPs.
Parliament was due to convene at 1:30pm on Friday (16). In a rare scene in the parliamentary history, several police officers entered the Parliament chamber escorting the mace and Speaker of House Karu Jayasuriya.
However MPs continued to disrupt proceedings and objects were hurled at the Speaker. The chair of the Speaker was also displaced as Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was forced to conduct the proceedings away from his official seat.
Following a brief parliamentary session amidst the commotion, Speaker Jayasuriya suspended the session. Accordingly Parliament will reconvene on Monday.
Speaking to media, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said the Mahinda Rajapaksha faction did not have a majority in Parliament and therefore the UPFA MPs disrupted proceedings for the third consecutive day.
For a second day pandemonium prevailed in parliament with the lawmakers of President Maithripala Sirisena appointed government attacking the Speaker and the opposition lawmakers to disrupt the parliamentary proceedings.
Parliamentarians supporting the unconstitutionally appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa hurled water bottles filled with chili powder and chairs at the police who escorted the Speaker and parliamentary officials into the chamber and opposing MPs.
Following the chaos prevailed on Thursday at the assembly after the parliament passed a no confidence motion against the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the President’s new government with a majority vote, the party leaders agreed to reconvene parliament. JVP MP Vijitha Herath was injured when he was attacked with a Constitution book and UNP MP Gamini Jayawickrama and the police officers were sprayed with chili powder mixed water. Several police officers also received injuries.
Despite the violence unleashed by the pro-Rajapaksa MPs to disrupt proceedings, parliament by a name vote passed another a no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa.
