- Ranjan Arun Prasad
- For BBC Tamil
Selvarasa Gajendran, a member of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) who referred to the liberation movement leader Velupillai Prabhakaran as the national leader in the Sri Lankan parliament, has attracted widespread attention.
His remarks during the parliamentary session were strongly opposed by the Sinhala-majority parliamentarians representing the ruling party and the ruling party’s Muslim parliamentarians.
What happened?
In the Sri Lankan parliament, TNA parliamentarian S. Sreedharan questioned whether anyone in the Northern Province had been harmed by drug abuse before the end of the country’s military war with the liberation in 2009.
Before the end of the war, was there cannabis use in the Northern and Eastern Provinces? Sreedharan also questioned how drug use had increased in the northern and eastern provinces after the end of the war, when there was a large concentration of police, army, navy and air force.
He also said that there was no drug use during the time of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and asked if they had seen anyone addicted to drugs during that period.
Minister Douglas Devananda answered S. Sreedharan’s questions. “Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was involved in the drug trade,” he said.
Sreedharan objected, saying, “Do not report fake information in them.”
“Government mercenaries have no qualms about talking about a leader whom Tamils respect,” Sreedharan said. He later shared this information on his Twitter page.
In this situation, there was an uproar when Selvarasa Gajendran spoke in the House after the comment made by Douglas Devananda.
Gajendran said the idea put forward by Douglas Devananda was completely false.
“When MP Sreedharan was addressing them yesterday, Douglas Devananda, the chairman of a paramilitary committee and a minister in the House, made a false statement. That is to say, the national leader of our country, His Excellency Prabhakaran, had stated there a blatant lie that the drug trade had taken place in their time. I strongly condemn this comment. I totally deny it, “said Selvarasa Gajendran.
Sita Arambala, the ruling party’s Member of Parliament and Minister of Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research and Innovation, recorded her opposition to Selvarasa Gajendran’s speech.
Opposition to mentioning Prabhakaran’s name
Selvarasa Gajendran has named a leader of a terrorist group as the ‘national leader of this country’ in the High Council. Sita Arambala demanded that comments made by a terrorist group leader in the High Council mentioning the name of a national leader should be removed from the ANCART.
They were then led by Velukumar, a member of the Tamil Progressive Alliance and a Member of Parliament for the United People’s Power.
Responding to Sita’s inauguration, Velukumar said, “It is the freedom of expression of a Member of Parliament. I can not impede freedom of expression.”
“If there is any request in this matter, I will present it to the Speaker,” Velukumar said.
Speaking on the occasion, ruling party MP Mohammad Musammil said, “You have the power to direct the comments made by Selvarasa Gajendran to remove them from the agenda. Therefore, it does not need a speaker.”
Velukumar reiterated that he had only the power to present the matter to the Speaker.
There was a commotion in the crowd.
What is the position of Tamil members?
BBC Tamil asked MP Velukumari if he had brought the matter to the attention of the Speaker.
He replied that the information would reach the Speaker through the Parliamentary Secretary General.
Knight Memorial Day Restrictions
Tamil parties are currently making arrangements to hold Heroes’ Remembrance Day events. In this case, the security forces are taking steps to prevent it.
Many courts in the Northern Province have banned the holding of Heroes’ Remembrance Day.
In addition, security forces are blocking the cleaning of Maveerar’s homes as representatives of political parties and Tamils are currently carrying out the task.
While the hero is clearing the area around the house, he can also observe that the police and the army are concentrated there.
Also, security measures are currently being strengthened in the north.
The Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) has said that if the court bans Heroes’ Day, it will only hold its commemorations in homes as per the court order.
“In this case, if the security forces impose a ban, we will violate it and celebrate Heroes’ Day,” Selvarasa Gajendran told BBC Tamil.
The Minister replied
Minister Douglas Devananda said the problem was to politicize the remembrance of war survivors and their prayers.
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