Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa warns that a pattern of revenge politics is unfolding, with monks, farmers, war heroes, and even schoolchildren paying the price for what he calls a government that has lost its moral and administrative compass.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa accused the government today of launching a continuous campaign of retaliation against multiple sections of society, with the Maha Sangha increasingly becoming a primary target.
Making a special statement, Premadasa said the Constitution grants Buddhism a foremost place and places a clear duty on the State to protect and nurture the Buddha Sasana while ensuring equal respect for all religions and cultures. He alleged that instead of honouring this responsibility, the government is actively attempting to transform the country into a secular state without safeguarding these constitutional obligations.
He stressed that actions taken against Buddhist monks must immediately stop and warned that disrespect toward religious leaders threatens social harmony. Premadasa said clergy from all faiths must be treated with dignity and not subjected to political pressure.
Turning to agriculture, the Opposition Leader said farmers who successfully completed their harvest have been abandoned by the government. He pointed out that the failure to guarantee a fair price for produce has made farming economically unsustainable. Media reports, he noted, indicate that paddy warehouses remain closed, creating uncertainty over purchases, while farmers are still waiting for fertilizer subsidies despite completing cultivation.
Premadasa also accused the government of showing contempt toward disabled war heroes. He said nearly 180 disabled soldiers currently residing at the Galle Boossa Army Camp have been ordered to vacate and relocate to Panagoda by February 16. Instead of upgrading facilities, he argued, the government is forcing out those who sacrificed to protect the country.
He further criticised the failure to distribute free school uniforms donated by China, saying the government has been unable to deliver even on basic promises.
Premadasa warned that monks, farmers, war heroes, and the wider public are being punished for the government’s inability to govern, urging an immediate end to what he described as oppressive and vindictive policies.
