The Central Committee of the Jathika Hela Urumaya has decided to pursue the removal of Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera after his shocking press conference which they said was held without the party’s knowledge.
The JHU last week notified Ven. Rathana Thera to vacate his parliamentary seat if he decides to sit as an independent MP, after the Thera criticised the government at the controversial press conference.
JHU National Organiser Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said Ven. Thera had been appointed to parliament through the UNP national list and as per the agreement, he must relinquish his seat to make way for another JHU member to enter parliament, if he decides to be independent.The JHU has written to the UNP Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe and General Secretary Kabir Hashim of the Central Committee decision.
“Our decision has been conveyed to Ven. Rathana Thera. A message was sent by registered post as well as through a courier service on Thrusday morning but a reply from Ven. Rathana Thera is still pending,” he said.
Asked about legal impediments in removing a dissident from Parliament, he said former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva’s judgment on crossovers should not stand in the way of taking a decision against Ven. Rathana Thera. “Sarath N. Silva’s judgment was illegal and it should not be taken as a precedent in passing a ruling on Ven. Rathana Thera’s case,” he said.
An independent observer said things had been brewing between the party and Ven. Thera for some time. He said the party had long disowned Ven. Rathana Thera and hence the reason for his silence and absence from parliamentary proceedings for over a year.