SLPPs Kuttiarachchi gets warning for defamatory comments against women

COLOMBO (News 1st); Ruling Party Member of Parliament Thissa Kuttiarachchi was given a stern warning by the Speaker on Tuesday (23) for his comments about women.

The Speakers said he was disappointed over the comments made by the member insulting women, and strongly advised the MP to refrain from making such comments in the house.

"If these events take place in the house, I will be compelled to take strict action against members responsible," he said.

However, female members in the house, demanded that the speaker request MP Thissa Kuttiarachchi to apologize for his defamatory comments.

Yet, MP Kuttiarachchi, reiterated that his recent speech only referred to vegetables and stressed he never verbally harassed any woman in his comments.

"I only spoke of vegetables and I do not know what they refer to as profanity," he said.

The Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) in Sri Lanka, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, who is also the State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics, and COVID Disease Control said MPs should only speak of matters relevant to the house, and should strongly avoid the mentioning the names of outsiders.

"The people are watching us. And we must condemn these acts," she told the house.

SJB MP Nalin Bandara demanded that MP Kuttiarachchi be removed from Parliament as the speaker himself had found the ruling party MP at fault for defamatory comments.