SLPP accuses President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of betraying his promises by ramping up security beyond Mahinda Rajapaksa levels and rekindling ties with China on expressway projects, while insulting teachers who helped him win power.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who rose to power by rallying public sentiment against the VIP security culture and promising a government free of excessive privilege, is now under fire for doing exactly the opposite. According to Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, Anura is currently enjoying a larger security detail than what was even provided to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the peak of LTTE threats.
Sagara did not hold back. He pointed to a recent cabinet paper that reveals a decision to block local investors from receiving loans from domestic banks for large-scale projects. This move, he argued, is detrimental to economic growth and undermines local entrepreneurship.
The criticism didn’t stop at economic policy. Kariyawasam also slammed the president for disrespecting teachers—a core group that helped him rise to power. The President’s recent remarks suggesting that some teachers cannot even send a WhatsApp or SMS message were labeled as demeaning and disconnected. Adding insult to injury, Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe publicly stated that he would only consider returning to teaching if he had no other options another blow to the dignity of the profession.
“President Anura has insulted the very educators who rallied to establish his government,” Sagara said. “These were people who campaigned for him. This betrayal is both shameful and telling.”
The SLPP also accused the president of duplicity in foreign relations. Sagara pointed out that while in opposition, Anura vocally condemned deals with China, accusing Mahinda Rajapaksa of corruption in those projects. Yet now, as head of state, Anura’s government has resumed infrastructure deals with the very same Chinese companies, including those tasked with constructing expressways.
Even Minister Lal Kantha, a prominent figure in the current administration, is reportedly dissatisfied with the president’s current security arrangements and has requested more. “This is the same party that once condemned heavy security for politicians. Now they are begging for more,” Sagara remarked, describing the shift as ironic and hypocritical.
While Mahinda Rajapaksa’s security was justified due to credible threats following his war-time presidency, Sagara claims that President Anura’s security detail is excessive and unwarranted. “They created public hatred around this very issue now they enjoy the same luxuries and worse,” he said.
As the administration leans into policies and behaviors it once decried, critics argue that the mask of reform is slipping. With backlash mounting over teacher disrespect, foreign partnerships, and security excess, President Anura faces growing questions about the authenticity of his leadership and the future direction of his government.
