SLFP Women’s Front Chairperson Criticises Government

Kumari Pathirage, Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Women’s Front, has accused the government of misleading the public, alleging that the President and Prime Minister have made conflicting statements on important issues.

Speaking at a media briefing held at the SLFP headquarters, Pathirage said the government should conduct proper research before making public statements. She claimed that the government’s statements had drawn international attention and criticised what she described as the use of younger generations as political pawns.

Referring to a recent speech in Badulla, she accused the government of making misleading claims and said she did not want Sri Lanka’s President to be embarrassed in this manner.

Pathirage also questioned the government’s approach to tax relief, saying the public expected meaningful concessions in the forthcoming Budget. She suggested that even a small reduction in taxes would be welcomed if the government clearly committed to providing relief.

Questions over Power Outages and Economic Management

Pathirage acknowledged that fuel-related challenges were a global issue but questioned the circumstances surrounding the islandwide power outage. She asked how the incident had affected people who earn their livelihoods through their daily work.

She also accused the government of creating a political narrative around the Rajapaksa family to divert public attention from other issues.

Commenting on government spending, she questioned the use of state vehicles for travel, saying such use could amount to the misuse of public funds.

Concerns over Religious Freedom and Proposed Anti-Terror Legislation

Pathirage accused the government of targeting Buddhist monks and expressed concern over what she described as attacks on the saffron robe.

She also questioned the government’s approach to international relations, arguing that Sri Lanka, which had defeated LTTE terrorism, should not allow external interests to dictate its policies.

Raising concerns about proposed amendments to anti-terrorism legislation, she asked what the changes would mean for freedom of expression.

She further accused the government of undermining the country’s economic centres and called for greater accountability in its decisions.