A message has been circulating on Whatsapp today stating that the Sinhala extremist group Sinhala Ravaya will submit a letter to the Speaker of Parliament regarding the “misbehaviour and misuse of parliamentary privileges” by the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader and MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam.
The message reads:
A letter will be submitted on June 06th 2023 (tomorrow) to the Speaker of Parliament regarding the misbehaviour and misuse of Parliamentary privileges by the MP Gajendra Kumar at 10:30 AM at the Parliament.
Undersigned:
National Organisation of Sinhala Ravaya
The message comes days after a plain-clothed Sri Lankan police intelligence officer pointed his gun at the TNPF leader during a meeting in Maruthankerny. The incident in which Ponnambalam was a victim, has now resulted in the Maruthankerny police taking action against the Tamil MP and his party organisers. Yesterday, two of the TNPF's organisers who were witnesses to the incident were arrested.
Despite calls from Ponnambalam and those present at the meeting to arrest and investigate the police intelligence officer who hit Ponnambalam before running away and the other intelligence officer for wielding his gun towards him, Marunthankerny police have warned Ponnambalam that he could be arrested and have ordered him to produce himself at their police station.
Kilinochchi Magistrate’s Court has also placed an international travel ban on Ponnambalam until he gives a statement at Maruthankerny police station.
Sinhala Ravaya is known to be an extreme Sinhala Buddhist nationalist group that strongly aligns itself with the Bodu Bala Sena, founded and headed by the extremist Galagoda Aththe Gnasara Thera. In the recent past, members of the two extremist groups have been known to be responsible for instigating multiple misinformation campaigns against minority groups and for the harassment and intimidation of activists.
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