Protest fast adjourns Parliament

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 September 1999, 10:19 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Parliament was adjourned this morning when a MP began a protest fast on the floor of the house. The MP, Dr.M.Illiyas, was denied permission to speak against Douglas Devananda, the leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) for denying him ( Dr.Illiyas) the 2.5 million rupees due to him under the decentralised budget (DCB)fund for development work in his electorate.

The speaker had refused permission to Dr.Illiyas as he had not sought written permission earlier.

Dr.Illiyas contested the general elections in 1994 on the EPDP list in Jaffna. He is however, a member of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.

The allocation of funds for development work under the decentralised budget due to the MPs who were returned on the EPDP list is controlled by Douglas Devananda as he is the Parliamentary group leader for these MPs.

Dr.Illiyas has protested many times in the past that the EPDP leader is refusing to allocate funds to him under the DCB because he (Dr.Illiyas) is with the SLMC.

Following the adjournment, the SLMC leader MHM Ashraff had got into a heated argument with chief government whip Richard Pathirana over the speaker's refusal to grant Dr.Illiyas an opportunity speak.