"Dr. Mervyn Silva had been involved in a number of controversial incidents and failing to discipline himself despite being given multiple warnings"

Media secretary at the secretariat Vijayananda Herath told BBC Sandeshaya that the decision was taken after ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) decided to suspend his party membership pending disciplinary action.

"Mr. Silva tied a government official belongs to Samurdhi office to a tree last week over his alleged failure to attend a dengue prevention programme in Kelaniya. The move caused island wide protests by Samurdhi officers who demanded the government to take action against the Deputy Minister,"government information department said.

Mr. Silva tied a government official belongs to Samurdhi office to a tree last week over his alleged failure to attend a dengue prevention programme in Kelaniya. The move caused island wide protests by Samurdhi officers Information department

Denying the accusation, the minister earlier told the parliament that the official himself requested him to tie him to the tree as he failed to attend the programme.

But in an interview with the BBC, he admitted that he tied the official to the tree.

"I did not do it to demean the public services or humiliate him," he told BBC Sinhala service.

"Dr. Mervyn Silva had been involved in a number of controversial incidents and failing to discipline himself despite being given multiple warnings," the official Lankapuvath news agency said in a statement.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier appointed him as the deputy minister in charge of media although he was accused of series of attacks and intimidation against media.

The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) group described his ministerial appointments as akin to employing "an arsonist to put out fires".

He has never been charged over any of the alleged offences.