President and PM to be summoned before the parliamentary select committee probing 04/21 attacks

COLOMBO (News 1st): The special committee appointed to probe into the 04/21l terror attacks is due to summon President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe before the committee. The list of the people that the committee intends to summon in future for statements includes the name of the Prime Minister along with several other ministers. However, a date for the President's and the Prime Minister's statement has not yet been specified. Further, the committee has decided to summon the present State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene before the committee. In addition, the former Minister of Law and Order Sagala Rathnayake and Ranjith Maddumabandara are also due to be summoned before this committee. Meanwhile, convening a media briefing, the members of the UPFA commented on this decision. UPFA MP Rohitha Abeygunawardene said that all this is done as part of a scripted play, where they bring in the country's Prime Minister and the State Minister of Defence before the committee. The parliamentarian further questioned whether to what extent the questioning process was a fair discussion because three on that panel were from the national list. He further said that these people were given the parliamentary privileges with the signature of the Prime Minister. However, he also said that when the President steps in that there is going to be an issue due to the disagreements they have with him, where Sarath Fonseka might even tend to ask a few extra questions. He added that all this was part of a staged drama. Also speaking on the matter, UPFA MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that when the Prime Minister appears before the committee that all the facts will be presented on how he wants it to be presented and that the conclusion they arrive on will also be according to his wish. Responding to an inquiry imposed by the journalist on a rumour that the President will appear before the committee in his capacity as the Minister of Defence, MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that the President does not have any faith and does not trust the intentions of this committee while adding that he would probably avoid appearing before it. The parliamentarian said that the committee does not have the power to summon not just the President of the country but also a parliamentarian and also said that action cannot be taken for those who do not appear either. MP S. M. Chandrasena also commenting on the matter said that never before in the history of a special parliamentary committee has the executive President of the country been summoned. He further said that what he cannot comprehend is how the President is summoned before juniors and certain individuals who were caught and later released in the bond scam. The parliamentarian also said that the act of summoning the President of the country is unimaginable to them while also questioning how adamant the present government was to do so. Expressing his opinion the parliamentarian said that if the President does decide to go before the committee that it will be a disgrace for his position.