I CAN ONLY FOLLOW PRESIDENT’S ORDERS
WILL ONLY ACT ACCORDING TO THE ORDERS GIVEN BY PRESIDENT UNP MPS REQUESTED TO REINSTATE SECURITY PROVIDED REQUIRED SECURITY IN LINE WITH APPOINTMENTS
IGP Pujith Jayasundara said yesterday that he would only act according to the orders given by President Maithripala Sirisena, who now handles the Law and Order Ministry. He expressed these views at a media briefing held at the Police Headquarters in Colombo.
Responding to a request made by former Law and Order Minister Ranjith Maddumabandara to provide additional security to former Prime Minister, the IGP said he could not do so.
UNP MPS Nalin Bandara, Daya Gamage and Palitha Thewarapperuma on Tuesday handed over a letter of former Minister Ranjith Maddumabandara to the IGP directing to provide security personnel and other facilities given to the former Prime Minister and former Ministers as given before October 26 saying that they were still Ministers of the Government.
“The UNP MPS handed over a letter requesting to reinstate their security personnel as before. But the President had appointed a new Prime Minister and new Ministers.
“In line with new appointments, we have already provided required In line with new appointments, we have already provided required security personnel for the Prime Minister, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, State Ministers and Parliamentarians according to the IGP provision of the
Police Circular security personnel according to the for the Prime instructions and the Minister, Ministers, directions of the Deputy Ministers, President as the Law State Ministers and and Order Ministry Parliamentarians now comes under according to the the Defence Ministry, IGP provision of the which is handled by Police circular issued the President,” the on 2015-11-09. IGP said.
“Therefore the However, when Police could not asked about the act on the request Speaker’s Statement of the MP Ranjith that he would only Maddumabandara,” recognise the status the IGP said. quo that prevailed
He said that he had in Parliament before informed the UNP the appointment MPS that the Police of the new Prime could not implement Minister, the IGP their written request. refrained from
“We will act only commenting.