Thalatha subject to verbal sexual slur in Parliament: Rohini Kavirathne

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhane yesterday assured to look into the incident where Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Thalatha Athukorala was subject to verbal sexual harassment during a debate in parliament.

The Speaker gave this assurance when SJB MP Rohini Kavirathne raised concerns that some Government MPS hurled verbal sexual slurs at MP Athukorala during the no-confidence motion debate against Minister Udaya Gammanpila recently.

She said it was a breach of privileges of the female MPS in parliament to subject them to verbal sexual harassment and pointed out that the House is not the place to criticize female MPS and discuss personal matters but to address people’s issues.

“There are only 12 female MPS in the House. It is highly regrettable to note that these female MPS are subject to this sort of embarrassment,” she said.

Ms. Kavirathne said she was disappointed to see the Speaker, who was presiding the Chair at the time of the incident, do nothing to stop the MPS going at MP Athukorale.