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Govt extends an apology to ITAK MP over airport disruption

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The government has apologized to ITAK MP Sivagnanam Shritharan over a disruption he faced at Katunayake airport as he departed for India.

Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake told parliament that they would safeguard the harassed MP’s privileges.

On 11 January, Shritharan was stopped at the airport as he was leaving for India to attend a Tamil diaspora meeting in Chennai chaired by Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin.

Recounting the incident in parliament 10 days later, the ITAK MP charged immigration officers wanted his passport checked by the Counter-Terrorism Investigation Division, claiming a travel ban was in force against him.

Following a lengthy questioning and intervention by MP Rauff Hakeem who was accompanying him, he said, he was allowed to board the flight at the last moment.

On his return journey, Shritharan said he made inquiries from immigration officers and was told there was no travel ban against him.

Hakeem, SLMC leader and SJB MP, confirmed the incident to the House.

He questioned the continuation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) under the NPP regime, which had promised before coming to power to abolish it.

PTA to be exercised cautiously

Responding, minister Ratnayake said the government had nothing to do with the incident.

Referring to the PTA, he said it has to be exercised with caution until such time a new act is introduced.

A report has been called from deputy defence minister Aruna Jayasekara and the chairman of Airport and Aviation Services with regard to the incident involving the ITAK MP, Ratnayake said.

Continuing, he said provisions of the PTA had not been used in this instance and neither Shritharan claimed it to be so.

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