Speaker’s embarrassing reaction to opposition MP’s query

Speaker of parliament Jagath Wickramaratne made quite an embarrassing response to a question raised by opposition MP D.V. Chanaka.

Noting a government instruction to educational authorities not to get politicians involved in school functions, Chanaka inquired in parliament as to how ex-speaker Asoka Ranwala attended a ceremony at a school recently.

The speaker answered that Ranwala attended the function not as a political party representative, but as the head of the legislature.

Chanaka pointed him out that Ranwala is only a MP now, and not the head of parliament.