Protest held outside Sri Lankan parliament in support of former president

Thousands of supporters of Mahinda Rajapakse staged a protest outside the Sri Lankan parliament on Tuesday, demanding the bribery allegations against the former president be dropped.

The demonstration, organized by a group of opposition parliamentarians from the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), was held within the High Security Zone outside the parliament building.

Meanwhile, a tense situation also arose inside the parliament with the speaker having to adjourn parliamentary sessions twice due to heated arguments between opposition and government parliamentarians over the Bribery and Corruption Commission summoning the former president over bribery allegations.

Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapakse said at the parliament that the anti-graft body would not summon the former president to the commission, instead the officials would visit him and record a statement.

Parliament Speaker Chamal Rajapakse, who is also a brother of the former president, decided to adjourn the parliament till April 27.

National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa told reporters outside the parliament that 113 opposition parliamentarians had signed a petition calling for director general of the Bribery and Corruption Commission, who had been appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, to be sacked.

Rajapakse had been summoned to the commission on Friday over allegations that he bribed a former member of the ruling United National Party to join him before the January presidential elections by offering him a ministerial post. Endi