The Hon. Dilip Wedaarachchi

¶ 01 Please give me a minute, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

¶ 02 When W. J. M. Lokubandara was the Speaker, I once came to Parliament by car and the police took my licence saying I had crossed a solid line. I made a complaint. Speaker Lokubandara summoned to Parliament the Divisional Deputy Superintendent of Police, the OIC and the Traffic Police officer and warned them, to ensure our dignity is protected.

¶ 03 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I request the Hon. Speaker to act likewise to safeguard our dignity. The Hon. Speaker has a responsibility towards us. He must protect our self-respect. We are people’s representatives. I was not under the influence of alcohol then. Even if I had been, that is not the issue; we are human beings who eat and drink. My wife was ill and in the vehicle at the time. My son, who had come from abroad, was also in the vehicle. All three of us were taken to the police.

¶ 04 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I request that the Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Division and the OIC be immediately summoned to Parliament, questioned on this incident, and instructed to protect the dignity of all 225 Members of Parliament.