News

News

Battle over ballot paper continues
By Santhush Fernando
The challenge thrown by two MPs to each other, JHU Spokesperson Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thera and Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Sripathi Sooriarachchi that was televised on a private television channel last week continues, with the two MPs asking each other to step down.

On the live political programme Janahanda telecast on TNL last Monday, Mr. Sooriyarachchi had accused the Thera of raising and showing his ballot paper to the House at the end of the first round of voting to elect the new Speaker.

Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thero, who was not on the panel of the TV programme had telephoned and denied that he and the other six JHU MPs ever took the ballot papers, let alone displayed them.

The thera further told that if the Deputy Minister could prove that he had shown the ballot paper he would resign. Mr. Sooriarachchi then challenged the monk to come to Parliament at 9 a.m. the next day, and prove that he did not show the ballot paper by viewing the videos available there.

Former Sihala Urumaya Parliamentarian Champika Ranawaka, who was among the panel, had then challenged Mr. Sooriarachchi to resign from his seat if he was proved wrong. When contacted by The Sunday Times, Mr. Sooriarachchi denied that he said that the thera had raised the ballot paper but said that he had said the monk had shown it to the House. He said that although he had gone to Parliament the next day Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero and Mr. Ranawaka had not arrived.

Mr. Ranawaka said although he tried to contact Mr. Sooriarachchi many times he could not do so and as such he and the thera did not turn up. He said it was completely false that Mr. Sooriarachchi had turned up at Parliament.

He said later in the program Mr. Sooriarchchi had twisted his words saying that the issue was whether the monk had spoken or not and not whether he had shown the ballot paper or not.

Top

Back to News