Thewarapperuma and Ranaweera suspended from Parliament for a week

Parliament today recommended the suspending of Deputy Minister Palitha Thewarapperuma and UPFA MP Prasanna Ranaweera from Parliament for a period of one week in connection with the tense situation which erupted last Tuesday. 

Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella had made the proposal while the suspension will come into effect from tomorrow (May 06), Ada Derana reporter said. 

Government and opposition MPs were involved in the clash within the chamber while Cabinet Minister for Regional Development Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka was delivering a statement regarding the decision to replace the military security of the former President with police personnel. 

This prompted Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to adjourn Parliament for the day and call for a report from the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairman of Committees in connection with the incident. He also informed Parliament that suitable action would be instigated against the MPs involved in the incident. 

The report, which was handed over to the Speaker yesterday at his office, has reportedly made several observations and recommendations including highest possible disciplinary action against Thewarapperuma and Ranaweera for causing the tense situation to escalate into an exchange of blows.