SL parliament probing panel blames 2 MPs for violent clash

A special committee has found two lawmakers responsible for the violent clash inside the Sri Lankan Parliament and is likely to recommend disciplinary action against them, sources said today.
One lawmaker was injured and rushed to a hospital during the clash that broke out between at least three MPs of government and opposition over a move to replace former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's military guards with police.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya appointed a special committee to probe yesterday's incident. Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala and Deputy Chairman of Committees MP Selvam Adaikalanathan were appointed to the committee.
The committee has named two MPs, sources said.

It will present its report to the House Committee tomorrow. Disciplinary action awaits them, they said.
The trouble started when Minister of Regional Development Sarath Fonseka addressed the House on the withdrawal of army personnel from the security detail of Rajapaksa, sources said.

Jayasuriya adjourned the parliament after the clash and condemned it as worst in the country's parliamentary history.
The government leaders blamed the Joint Opposition members backing Rajapaksa for the clash.
Opposition members claimed that an accusation by the former Army chief and now government minister Fonseka that Rajapaksa's younger brother Gotabhaya had plotted a 2006 bomb attack against himself had ignited the clash.

Gotabhaya, the then powerful defense ministry secretary, survived the attack which was blamed on the LTTE.