Hon. Rohana Bandara

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, what is today’s Motion? It is a Motion at the time of Adjournment. Hon. Sujeewa Senasinghe, the Hon. Member who brought this Motion — does he need to be in the House? Can you not present the Motion and then listen from outside? But if it is a Private Member’s Motion, since there is an opportunity to reply at the end, you should remain in the House. On a previous day, I moved an Adjournment Motion and went to the Library. Then the Minister got up and scolded, “The Member who brought the Motion is not here.” Is there a rule that the Member must be here? There is no such rule for an Adjournment Motion. Someone must have misled the Minister; he is acting frenzied, like he has lost his senses. Hon. Presiding Member, today I brought a Private Member’s Motion. Since I had to do the reply, I stayed till the end. But for an Adjournment Motion, after presenting it, one can remain in the Chamber if necessary; otherwise, one can be in the Library, or go to a Committee. Do we have to sit here just to listen to the Minister’s pomp when he speaks? There is no such compulsion. These people are intoxicated with power and are making various attempts. You will not be able to succeed. Therefore, you watch and wait. Even if you try to watch and wait, the people of this country are ready to strike back. Therefore, we tell the officers appointed to the Commissions again and again: if you are appointed to an Independent Commission, and if you do not have the strength to stand upright and ensure the democratic rights of the 22 million people of this country, please resign. Do not be ready to trample the powers given to the Independent Commissions for anyone’s political interests. With that reminder, I conclude. Thank you.