Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President Rajeev Amarasuriya has dismissed as “completely false” a claim by National People’s Power (NPP) MP Asitha Niroshana that he had held discussions with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa over becoming the Chief Ministerial candidate for the Western Province at the upcoming Provincial Council Election.
Speaking on a private television programme yesterday (27), Amarasuriya said the only occasion on which he had met Premadasa was at a public dialogue organised by the BASL on 4 July regarding the proposed extension of the retirement age of judges.
He said Premadasa had attended the event briefly before leaving and that no such discussion as alleged by the NPP MP had taken place.
Referring to Niroshana’s claim that the purported meeting had taken place on a Thursday, Amarasuriya said the MP should specify the month and the particular Thursday on which the alleged meeting had occurred so that he could respond specifically.
Amarasuriya said he had seen Niroshana for the first time when the MP made the allegation in Parliament. He added that he had subsequently searched for information about the MP and found his profile on Parliament’s official website.
Taking a swipe at the MP, Amarasuriya said Niroshana should consider changing the photograph displayed on Parliament’s website to one “more appropriate” for an MP making such allegations.
Expressing concern over what he described as false statements being made in Parliament, Amarasuriya said the legislature was maintained with public funds and was an institution subject to the sovereignty of the people.
“I do not know whether there are more MPs like this in the Government,” he said.
Amarasuriya further said that had the allegation been made outside Parliament, legal action would have been taken against it, including by the BASL.
