ARREST THE MP (98 Nov 25)
The Magistrate of Badulla, Mr. N. C. B. S. Narayan ordered the police on Tuesday the 24th to arrest the Badulla District MP, Mr. T. V. Sennan, former Provincial Council member Mr. K. Velayutham and 36 others and produce them before him in connection with setting fire to the official residence and the vehicle of the superintendent of the Passara estate and to a police vehicle. The magistrate refused to grant bail to 28 others who are already in custody.
It is alleged that the estate workers did not approve the decision of the superintendent to allocate a piece of land from the estate to a Buddhist temple. Whatever the reason may be nobody had the right to intimidate the superintendent of the estate and later engage in activities causing damage to property.
It is very likely that the workers will go on strike on this issue and political pressure will be brought upon to release the accused.