Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has requested President Maithripala Sirisena to remove Child Affairs State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran from her position until the end of the ongoing investigation.

President Sirisena, government sources said, will have to make the final decision on removing the State Minister.

The Prime Minister's request came after a section of UNP MPs strongly pushed for Maheswaran's controversial statement on reviving the LTTE to ensure the well-being of Tamils in the North. 

Maheswaran made the statement at a public event in Jaffna and in the presence of two Cabinet Ministers namely Vajira Abeywardena and Thilak Marapana.