By Ranmini Gunasekara and Thameenah Razeek Courtesy Ceylon Today

The tussle between the Executive and the Parliament should come to a stop, as this can lead to another incident such as that of 21/4, said Chairman of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Professor G.L Peiris yesterday (10). He said this at a Media conference held at the Party Headquarters in Battaramulla.

The Parliamentary Select Committee on the Easter Sunday attacks is going on amidst …objections from the President. The Speaker has decided that he will not stop it, whilst the President has clearly asked the Prime Minister and the Speaker to stop this as the PSC can be detrimental to national security. So what happens now? The PSC orders a certain State Intelligence, Police or Army official to attend, but the President orders them not to go and says that those who disobey would lose their jobs. So all this has become quite confusing,” he added.

He further added that both Police and Intelligence officials are now trapped in a tug of war between the President on one side and the Prime Minister and the Speaker on the other.  

Meanwhile, the country could face anarchy in the coming days because of the calamity that has arisen between the Executive and the Constitution after the 7 June special Cabinet meeting held under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena, claimed Parliamentarian Dr. Bandula Gunawardena.

Addressing the media, at the Opposition Leader’s office, Dr. Gunawardena on 9 June alleged that the President and the Cabinet had started to quarrel between over the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday attacks.
Dr. Gunawardena emphasised that shedding party differences, all MPs should agree to go for a General Election, with a
two-thirds majority. He said that all the MPs should
think about the public and allow them to decide their leader.

The President has threatened to boycott all Government activities and meetings until his demand is met. His demand was the suspension of the PSC probing the Easter Sunday attacks. However, according to the Leader of the House and Minister Lakshman Kiriella they have no intention of halting it. So if this continues, any document or Bill that will be presented to the Parliament will be illegal,” he alleged.

Speaking further, Dr. Gunawardena claimed that with the decision of the President, the Government had split and without the Head of the Cabinet, any Cabinet approval will not be legal.

Even the public does not have any clear idea about what is happening and what is going to happen. Some sort of extremists attacked innocent people and the Government could not prevent the carnage. So, morally they should resign their posts and give it for someone who can handle the portfolios. Without doing that, they not only pass the buck but also argue amongst themselves,” he added. Henceforth, every document that is approved by the Cabinet becomes illegal with the decision of President Sirisena to boycott all the activities and meetings until the suspension of the said PSC, claimed MP Sisira Jayakody.

Also addressing the media, Jayakody noted that each and every document should be presented to the Parliament after approval by the Cabinet. He alleged that now there is no legal Cabinet and there will no be legal documents or amendments.
 Minister Ravi Karunanayake’s daughter Onella Karunanayake gives a statement before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegedly providing false evidence before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Bonds scam. But those officials who questioned her have to answer Ravi Karunanayake’s questions at the PSC,” he added.