Speaking in parliament, Tamil National Alliance MPs Shritharan Sivagnanam and Rasamanickam R. Shanakiyan condemned the arrest of Tamil National People's Front leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam.
Rasamanickam R. Shanakiyan condemned the arrest as “disturbing to see” and called on all MPs to similarly condemn this action. Shanakiyan noted that there are parliamentarians who have been accused of murder but permitted to speak parliament, but Ponnambalam was not allowed this right.Hon. @ShanakiyanR protested in Parliament today at the illegal arrest of Hon. @GGPonnambalam violating his Parliamentary privilege and against all norms https://t.co/TO8TkCal5C
— M A Sumanthiran (@MASumanthiran) June 7, 2023
He further noted that the issue of harassment by plainclothes officers is common as MPs are under constant surveillance.
Shanakiyan also stressed that Ponnambalam has good cause to be scared when it comes to Sri Lankan police, given that his father was assassinated by a former police constable. He further stressed that all MPs should “severely condemn” Ponnambalam’s arrest.
Hon @ImShritharan has been given voice for @GGPonnambalam in @ParliamentLK regarding the https://t.co/8EXlPQJAHm pic.twitter.com/LkfgwX2fjE
— Thiru (@TKSivanesan) June 7, 2023
Shritharan Sivagnanam similarly delivered a speech in parliament where he condemned the arrest.
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