Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa slammed JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, insisting that Dissanayake had begged the President and the Prime Minister to prevent a debate on the Avant Garde controversy.

Taking part in the 'Salakuna' political talk show on Hiru TV, Rajapakshe recalled that he had challenged Dissanayake for a debate on one of his statements earlier this year.

In late February, Dissanayake had claimed that Rajapakshe and Tilak Marapana had intervened on behalf of Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi to get his passport returned, after it was impounded. However, Rajapakshe rejected these claims and challenged Dissanayake for an open debate.

The matter was later settled by the intervention of the President and the Prime Minister.

However, Rajapakshe revealed that Dissanayake had begged the President and Prime Minister to stop the debate from taking place. It was out of respect to the two leaders that he backed off from a debate, Rajapakshe said.