A Sri Lankan government MP has filed a complaint with the police saying he was threatened with a knife inside the parliamentary complex.
Photographs emerged today showing the UNP MP Palitha Thewarapperuma wielding a knife during this morning's chaotic parliamentary session, which descended into violence with a UPFA MP throwing a waste bin at the Speaker and one MP being taken to hospital with injuries.
“Both Ranjan Ramanayake and Palitha Thewarapperuma threatened me with a knife inside the chamber. When I brought Speaker’s attention to this, he said not knives but swords should be brought in because of the current state of affairs," MP Indika Anuruddha told the Daily Mirror.
"This is unacceptable. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s seat was a few rows away from these unruly MPs. This was a threat to all MPs. Therefore, we lodged the complaint with the police,” he added.
Unable to control escalating clashes, the Speaker suspended parliament, the parliamentary mace was removed and Speaker stepped out.
International concern has been mounting over Sri Lanka’s descent into instability following Sirisena’s decision to sack his cabinet, appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister and dissolve parliament for snap elections.
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