Sri Lankan investigators to probe parliament brawl between ruling, opposition lawmakers

Sri Lanka launched an investigation into clashes in the parliament between legislators from the ruling party and the opposition, Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilleke said on Wednesday.

Addressing a weekly media briefing in the capital, Karunathilleke said the government regretted the incident which left several lawmakers injured and one hospitalized.

The government blamed members of the Joint Opposition, who are loyal to former President Mahinda Rajapakse for the worst brawl in recent years.

Karunathilleke said the government had urged Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to initiate a separate investigation and assured that legal action would be taken against all the lawmakers involved in the violence.

A fight between opposition and government lawmakers erupted when former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka, who is now a minister, said a bomb blast apparently targeting Sri Lanka's former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa 10 years ago was an "inside job." Gotabhaya is the brother of Mahinda Rajapakse.

Fonseka's statement in parliament, which said the 2006 bombing was aimed at winning sympathy for the then-ruling family, was cut short when lawmakers loyal to the former president objected.

A heated exchange of words took place when opposition legislator Dinesh Gunawardena questioned Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on his decision to withdraw the security guards for Mahinda Rajapaksa stating that such a move placed Rajapakse's life at risk as he had defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009.

Violence then erupted between the two sides before Speaker Jayasuriya forced to suspend the session. Endit