(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Colombo District Parliamentarian (MP) Wimal Weerawansa today (26th Thursday) claimed that adequate police protection was not granted for him in order to attend Parliamentary sessions.
Raising a parliamentary privilege issue during the session this morning, MP Weerawansa called on the Speaker of House to address the issue.
Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa said, “When escorting a MP to and from Parliament, prison officers expect the assistance of police protection. When a request was made from the Bambalapitiya police the two armed policemen arrived late. Therefore I missed the opportunity of arriving on time for the parliamentary session during the past two days. Even today I could not leave on time as they had informed the Prisons Department that they could not send two policemen today. After discussions between the police and prison officials they had consented to sending two policemen this morning.”
Adding further he stated, “But when they contacted them this morning, they had informed that they were not obligated to provide such a service. Therefore prisons officials had to send me to Parliament with two prison police officers. I have a right to be in my seat in parliament on time and to be part of it. I request for my privileges to be protected and considered.”
United People’s Freedom Alliance Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa was arrested on charges of misusing state vehicles during the previous tenure of the UPFA led government on the 10th of January and has been remanded till the 7th of February.
