Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa alleged that the National People’s Power (NPP) government is attempting to establish one-party rule and erode Sri Lanka’s democratic safeguards following a public protest in Colombo Fort.
Addressing supporters at a rally organised by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya yesterday (03), Premadasa pledged that the main opposition alliance would deploy all available parliamentary and extra-parliamentary mechanisms to block the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.
He claimed that the government brought forth the proposed constitutional changes to concentrate political power in a single party while undermining judicial independence.
Linking the constitutional dispute to socio-economic pressures, he pointed to rising poverty, soaring commodity prices, and growing joblessness caused by the stagnation and closure of the 200 garment factories initiative.
He asserted that the administration possessed no coherent strategy to alleviate economic hardship, relying instead on authoritarian measures to consolidate control.
The Opposition Leader cautioned against parliamentary overreach, dismissing the belief that a legislative majority grants a government total authority to pass contested bills.
Citing the opposition’s past parliamentary campaign against the Energy Minister, he observed that sustained public pressure ultimately forced the removal of both the minister and the ministry secretary despite the initial defeat of a formal no-confidence vote.
Premadasa said that a similar broad-based resistance under the 'Samagi Jana Sandhanaya' banner would defeat the 22nd Amendment and safeguard rule of law.
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