UNP Parliamentarian Harin Fernando today said that he deeply regrets what had happened between him and North Western Province Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, during the ‘Wada Pitiya’ political debate show telecasted live on TV Derana last night.

The programme came to an abrupt end after a fight broke out between the two opposing party politicians, formerly fellow MPs of the United National Party, during a commercial break.

The heated debate between Fernando and Jayasekara which began on air extended well into the commercial break and eventually resulted in the politicians attempting to physically attack each other.

Speaking to Ada Derana regarding the incident, Harin Fernanado said he believed verbal attacks should be responded to with verbal attacks and, however, conceded that an unfortunate situation had risen during the debate.

Fernanado stated that he is somewhat saddened by the event which had transpired as he had once closely associated with Dayasiri Jayasekara, who had resigned from the UNP and crossed over to the ruling UPFA in July last year.

The Badulla District MP said he believes that he had committed no wrong for the situation to escalate to that extent, however admitted that certain words used by his during the commercial break may have provoked the Chief Minister.

He stated that Jayasekara had lashed out at him for using a certain word and had attempted to assault him and that he had to respond in order to control his aggression and in self defence.

Fernando said that, from his point of view, that word might have slipped out when venting his anger and that even now he does not think it is that bad a word.

The UNP MP further said that he would prefer if TV Derana, as a media organization standing for the truth, would air the full ‘Wada Pitiya’ programme inclusive of the controversial incident so that the public know the truth.

However, North Western Province Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, when inquired by Ada Derana, stated that he does not agree with showing of the complete footage.

He stated that giving publicity to this unpleasant incident would only create a bad taste for the people and that he is against that.

Emphasizing that the footage released thus far clearly show MP Harin Fernando’s behavior within the final minutes of the ‘Wada Pitiya’ programme, Jayasekara said he had wanted to properly utilize the time during his turn to counter argument.

However, anybody who views the video consciously will understand who exactly proceeded to create an unpleasant incident by using unsuitable words from the start of the programme, he said.

The Chief Minister stated that he does not engage in politics by fighting and killing and that personally when drawing attention to debates such incidents give a bad precedent to the country. Therefore, he said, that he completely denounces the incident.

Jayasekara also vehemently rejected the accusations of Harin Fernando that it was he who first attempted to attack. The public will know the truth, he said, adding, that the people of the North Western Province would take an intelligent decision regarding him in the future.