Social Empowerment Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake and Joint Opposition parliamentarian Indika Anuruddha yesterday clashed in parliament over illegal sand mining in Divulapitiya.

Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake had raised the issue in public last week, accusing JO parliamentarian Indika Anuruddha, his brother and Wasantha Dangalla of engaging in illegal mining in Divulapitiya.

 In parliament yesterday, Joint Opposition parliamentarian Indika Anuruddha accused Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake of wanting to operate a quarry in Divulapitiya.

He intimated that this was the reason why the Deputy Minister was taking issue him, and asked Parliament to table as proof a letter allegedly by the Deputy Minister asking for permission to operate a quarry in Divulapitiya.

While Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake denied the charge, and the Speaker, who had read the letter, said it was asking for an access road to a metal quarry, not a request to set up and operate a quarry for profit. 

The access road was, additionally, to a graphite quarry for the Colombo Port City project, the letter had further revealed. 

Joint Opposition parliamentarian Indika Anuruddha had taken the issue further when he had insisted the Speaker read the letter out loud, but the Speaker had reprimanded him, telling him he could not give orders to the chair.