Sri Lanka suspends two legislators for one week over parliament brawl

Sri Lanka's parliament on Thursday decided to suspend two legislators over a clash in parliament this week which resulted in one legislator sustaining injuries.

Ruling United National Party legislator Parliamentarians Palitha Thewarapperuma and opposition legislator Prasanna Ranaweera were suspended from parliament for one week.

Thewarapperuma, who is a deputy minister in the government and Ranaweera were suspended after being accused of instigating the clash in parliament on Tuesday.

A committee appointed by parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya to look into the clash, had proposed that disciplinary action be taken on the parliamentarians involved in the clash.

A heated exchange between the government and joint opposition in parliament turned violent on Tuesday resulting in a parliamentarian sustaining injuries.

The heated exchange took place when opposition parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardena questioned Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on the decision to withdraw the army security provided to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told parliament on Wednesday that he had received the preliminary report of the committee and a meeting will be held to decide on the next step.

The preliminary report had proposed that disciplinary action be taken against parliamentarians Palitha Thewaraperuma and Prasanna Ranaweera over the clash.

Accordingly the speaker informed parliament on Thursday that it was proposed that the two parliamentarians be suspended for one week and so parliament approved the proposal. Endit