Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywaradane said on Thursday that a certain group had even plotted to set the Parliament on fire during a violent period in the country’s history.
Abeywardane wandered out aloud what fate would have befallen the country if the plot was successful. He made these comments in Parliament attending an event to release the third volume of the book ‘Parlimenthu Sara Sanhitha’.
“There was a plan hatched to set the Parliament on fire. Today we would not be able to witness a Parliament here had we been delayed even by a moment. Only the remains would have been left. We must probe into this to understand if they decided to commit the act with an understanding of Parliament or not or because they have lost their patience,” he said.
The Speaker said there are various groups with varying agendas in the country. “It was a similar group that took hold of the Aragalaya and took it on a different path. But there is an issue of how to go beyond that. The State would have deteriorated. The Police and Military did not act. There was no governance.
I was left in the midst of the chaos to face the situation. When I was considering what must be done I received a message that a mob was attempting to set the Parliament on fire. Would have they let us flee had they been allowed to come here? They would have set us on fire as well. What would have happened next?” he asked. The Speaker called on the university lecturers to consider what changes should take place in the country. “Has 70 years of Independence brought us to this? Minister Bandula Gunawardane’s house was set on fire. 74 MPs’ houses were set on fire. 648 houses were set on fire. Those people have nowhere to go. In the 1980s my house was set on fire. We too suffered. We have nowhere to go.
Children could not go to school. We got away with only our lives. We had nothing and survived on handouts, a similar situation has taken place now,” he said.
“I wonder if every 20 to 25 years similar incidents happen in Sri Lanka. They set houses on fire and engage in insurrections. But no solution is presented after that. What would have happened to the UGC if the Parliament was set on fire. How would funds have been allocated? How would court proceedings continue?,” he asked.
“We know how Gaddafi ruled Libya but education was encouraged. Allowances were given to students who wished to study abroad to encourage them to return and serve the country. But look at Libya today. There is no country left. All systems have collapsed,” he said.
The Speaker said academic books such as the one being released must also look at these areas. He said had the Parliament been set on fire democracy would have lost. “What would have happened to the country? Would we have been able to set up a democracy again?” he asked.