Jaffna District MP Archuna Ramanathan once again found himself at the center of controversy in Parliament today, as both government and opposition members clashed over his latest claims of mistreatment. Ramanathan alleged that his parliamentary privileges had been violated after being stopped by the Anuradhapura police on January 20th, and blamed Parliament for failing to provide him with a proper identity card.
The MP recounted how he was traveling from Jaffna to Colombo with his lawyer when traffic officers stopped his vehicle and demanded an official identification document. Ramanathan claimed that the officers did not provide a clear reason for stopping him and refused to accept the ‘official permit’ with a parliamentary logo that he attempted to present.
“This is a serious violation of my rights as a Member of Parliament. I had no official parliamentary ID at the time because one had not been issued to me. The only document I had was this permit, and yet the police refused to recognize it,” he stated.
The MP went on to criticize Parliament for failing to issue him an official identity card in a timely manner, stating that he had been left without proper credentials for two months. He revealed that the issue was only addressed after the incident, and he finally received his parliamentary ID on January 22nd, two days after his encounter with the police.
“How is it that, as an elected representative, I was left without a valid ID for so long? I was stopped, questioned, and humiliated. It is unacceptable that Members of Parliament are put in such situations due to the inefficiency of parliamentary administration,” Ramanathan complained.
As Ramanathan persisted with his protest in the chamber, MP Dayasiri Jayasekara interrupted, launching a scathing attack on him.
“He is bringing disgrace to Parliament. He has a mental disorder. We should send him to a doctor. Don’t let this continue,” Jayasekara declared, calling on the Speaker to intervene.
The debate took another turn when Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake responded, arguing that it was the opposition’s responsibility to ensure that Ramanathan was given the opportunity to speak, rather than using the session to attack him.
Amid the rising tensions, the Speaker intervened and ordered that any irrelevant remarks or unrelated discussions made by MP Ramanathan be removed from the official Hansard report. This decision was met with mixed reactions, as some MPs supported maintaining the integrity of parliamentary records, while others accused the Speaker of suppressing important concerns raised by Ramanathan.
The incident marks yet another heated confrontation involving the controversial Jaffna District MP, who has frequently been involved in verbal clashes and disputes in Parliament. His claims of mistreatment by law enforcement, coupled with the internal political turmoil surrounding him, highlight the growing divisions within the chamber.
As the session concluded, Ramanathan remained defiant, vowing to continue speaking out about what he described as systematic injustices and failures within the system. However, his repeated clashes with fellow MPs suggest that his presence in Parliament will continue to be a point of contention in the days to come.
