Speaker notified of an attempt to assault Maheswaran

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 November 2003, 16:35 GMT]
Opposition parliamentarians brought to the notice of the Speaker Mr.Joseph Michael Perera Friday afternoon that an alleged assault attempt had been made by some ruling party members on Hindu Religious Affairs Minister, Mr.S.Maheswaran, inside the House after he spoke against his government for neglecting several thousand internally displaced Tamils in the northeast province, parliamentary sources said.

Several opposition parliamentarians had asked the Speaker what would be their state if a ruling party minister had been intimidated by some of his party members inside the House, parliamentary sources said.

Heated argument ensued between ruling and opposition parliamentarians following representations made to the Speaker on the Maheswaran affair. The dispute was brought to an end when Mr. Maheswaran intervened and told the Speaker he would make representation in this regard at the appropriate time, parliamentary sources said.

Meanwhile, Peoples Alliance parliamentarian Mr.V.Puthirasikamany brought to the notice of the Speaker that some opposition parliamentarians had threatened him to death. On the Budget day and the following day he had received death threats inside the house.

He told parliament Friday that he had crossed over to the opposition bench last month during parliamentary sitting as a mark of protest to the holding of an anti-government rally by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on the Deepavali Day as it had hurt the feelings of Hindus. However he maintained that he was still a member of the PA, according to parliamentary sources.