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Sri Lanka Parliament passes no-confidence vote against Rajapaksa (Lead)

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Colombo, Nov 14 (IANS) Sri Lankan Parliament on Wednesday approved a no-confidence motion against new Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his controversially appointed government, a day after the Supreme Court stayed a presidential decree dissolving the legislature.

The majority (of the 225-member Assembly) voted to support the no-confidence motion against former strongman Rajapaksa who was made Prime Minister in October replacing Ranil Wickremesinghe, said Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in a statement.

The Speaker will now send a copy to President Maithripala Sirisena with a letter bearing the signatures of 122 legislators, declaring the appointment of Rajapaksa and his Cabinet as unconstitutional, according to the statement.

The no-confidence motion on Rajapaksa and his government was presented by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) legislator Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and seconded by JVP legislator Vijitha Herath, Colombo Telegraph reported.

Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP), the JVP, the main opposition Tamil National Alliance, the Tamil Progressive Alliance, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the All Ceylon Makkal Congress voted in favour of the no-trust motion.

Sirisena-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) did not take part in the vote and vehemently protested the no confidence process.

The measure was approved in the first session of Parliament after the Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned its dissolution by the President.

Legislators from Rajapaksa’s party broke out in protest when the no-trust motion was moved, prompting him to leave the floor of the House. Amid the chaos, the Parliament was adjourned till Thursday.

Both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claimed they would continue to be in office. The former said the motion had been passed with a majority through a “voice vote”.

“Now that the motion has been passed, the government which ruled before October 26 will come back into effect. I am informing the police and state officials not to carry out any orders handed over by the illegal government,” Wickremesinghe said.

UNP legislator Lakshman Kiriella said: “We have the majority and the proper parliamentary procedures were followed. The new government is no more. Ranil Wickremesinghe will once again be the Prime Minister of the nation.”

However, Dinesh Gunawardena, legislator from Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) headed by Rajapaksa, said the vote of no confidence had been invalid as the Parliament Speaker had not followed the normal parliamentary traditions by calling for an electronic vote.

He said the new government led by Sirisena and Rajapaksa would continue in office and all ministries would continue to function under the new regime.

Sirisena dissolved the legislature last week after he replaced Wickremesinghe with Rajapaksa, who did not have sufficient parliamentary backing.

On October 27, a day after replacing the Prime Minister, Sirisena ordered the suspension of the Parliament.

The move was rejected by Wickremesinghe’s party, who repeatedly claimed enough support in the legislature and that his removal was unconstitutional.

The Speaker then urged the President to allow the Parliament to function so that Rajapaksa could prove his majority.

Sirisena agreed and ordered the resumption of the Parliament on November 14, but later dissolved it and called for snap elections after Rajapaksa was unable to garner the necessary support.

The dissolution was challenged by political parties in the Supreme Court, which overturned the President’s decision on Tuesday.

–IANS
soni/sed

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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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