“Harini Will Become a Political ‘Invalid’ After the 22nd Amendment,” Sarvajana Balaya Claims

Speaking at a media briefing of Sarvajana Balaya, Gampaha Electoral Organiser Jayantha Athapattu claimed that the government had failed to make any investment that generates income for the country, and alleged that this was one of the reasons behind the country's high inflation.

He questioned what the President was doing as inflation continued to rise, claiming that government funds were being wasted on motorcades while there was still no election in sight. He said the people would have to wait and compare what the government had said when it came to power with what it was saying and doing now.

Athapattu also said that if the President identifies himself as a Buddhist, he should at least uphold the relevant principles of the Five Precepts. He claimed that two years ago the President had promised to provide loans to all entrepreneurs without collateral and had also said that money would be brought from Uganda to repay Sri Lanka's debt.

He further claimed that incidents involving shootings were now occurring on a daily basis. Referring to the government's previous statements on national security, he alleged that people were now being killed despite those assurances.

Party member Achini Suriarachchi and Madura Withana also expressed their views at the media briefing.

Withana alleged that the present government was being controlled by the diaspora. He claimed that the JVP, which had previously been associated with the red colour, had changed to pink before the NPP came into power.

He said that people had believed that individuals who had previously been unable to gain political power had entered the democratic path and would govern through democratic means. He added that people had voted for the NPP because of figures including Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.

Withana claimed that following September 24 and the proposed constitutional amendment, Harini Amarasuriya and others would become politically irrelevant, using the expression “an invalid coin.”

He further alleged that the JVP had now returned to its traditional red identity and claimed that the 22nd Amendment contained provisions that he described as particularly harsh.

He also alleged that the group led by the President was seeking to suppress the voice of the people and govern the country in a manner that would undermine the rights of the wider community.