Tissa Attanayake Accuses Government of Pushing 22nd Amendment, Announces Opposition Protest and SJB-UNP Cooperation

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya says it will join other opposition groups in opposing the proposed 22nd Amendment, while also announcing plans for closer cooperation with the United National Party on issues concerning the government.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has accused the government of attempting to push through the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, warning that the move could have a serious impact on democracy.

The party said a protest against the 22nd Amendment will be held at Poldhuwa at 9:00 a.m. on the 24th, with the participation of the SJB and other opposition political parties and groups that have expressed opposition to the proposed amendment.

The SJB said it would work together with the public to oppose the amendment and prevent its passage.

The party also said discussions and cooperation between the SJB and the United National Party (UNP) are currently taking place, with both parties prepared to work together. It said the two parties would cooperate in future campaigns against the government and work together against what they describe as the government's "anti-people" programme.

Meanwhile, concerns were also raised over a Sri Lankan youth who has reportedly been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. The government was urged to intervene urgently and accelerate diplomatic efforts, including discussions with the Saudi authorities, to address the matter.

The SJB also criticised the government's handling of allegations of large-scale financial fraud. It questioned why legal action had not yet been taken over the allegations and raised concerns about whether the law was being implemented fairly.

The party further accused the President of acting in a partisan manner in the implementation of the law, while claiming that a series of meetings being held by the President were being used by the government to mislead the public.

Criticism was also directed at the government's approach to energy and economic development projects. The SJB claimed that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had repeatedly opposed various energy and economic projects in the past, arguing that such opposition had affected opportunities for economic development. It further pointed to projects that were previously opposed by the JVP but are now being implemented after the government came to power.

The party also questioned several government announcements, including a proposal to establish 50 universities. It argued that establishing universities is a complex process and criticised what it described as statements being made without adequate planning.

The SJB also referred to government plans concerning schools and expressways, claiming that the government had previously spoken about establishing new schools while now considering the closure of some schools. It also criticised statements regarding expressways, pointing to previous opposition to such projects.

Questions were further raised about the government's plans for road development. The SJB claimed that although the government had previously said funds were available for road construction, it was now citing shortages of raw materials and officials as obstacles.

The party accused the government of making announcements without sufficient planning and claimed that public funds were being wasted on meetings.

The SJB also criticised a reported proposal to introduce a tax on dogs, claiming that the government was continuing to introduce measures that would place an additional burden on the public.