IGP orders withdrawal of security to MPs in dissolved parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 2010, 01:54 GMT]
The security provided to all Members of Parliament (MP) who served in the dissolved parliament has been withdrawn with immediate effect on the instructions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mahinda Balasuriya. He said the withdrawal follows the recent dissolution of Parliament after which all MPs become ordinary citizens. Leaders of the political parties are to lose their police security due to the IGP’s order, sources in Colombo said. Meanwhile, opposition MPs said government parliamentarians continue to enjoy the police security even after the IGP’s instruction.

The police spokesman, however, added that the security for Ministers and Deputy Ministers will remain.

About one hundred MPs hold posts of ministers and deputy ministers in the government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse.

He also said that the security will be restored following the General elections in April to all elected MPs.

The withdrawal of security is only to opposition parliamentarians, Mano Ganeshan, Colombo district parliamentarian and the leader of the Democratic Peoples Front (DPW) told media.