SLPP skips 22A protest, citing SJB snub

Friday, 25 September 2026 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) stayed away from the Opposition protest against the 22nd Amendment yesterday after a Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP indicated that other Opposition parties should not join, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said.

Kariyawasam said the SLPP had been prepared to take part but reconsidered after the SJB MP’s public statement. He claimed that neither Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa nor other senior SJB representatives had publicly rejected or corrected the remarks.

“We cannot go there while maintaining our self-respect under such circumstances,” Kariyawasam said.

He nonetheless said the SLPP supported opposition to the Amendment and wished the protest success. “This should not be an SJB protest. It should be a protest by the entire country,” he said.

Kariyawasam described the Amendment as a serious threat to democracy and accused the Government of misusing the two-thirds parliamentary majority it received.