• SJB Leader charges President is admitting he would oppress the people
• Describes Wickremesinghe as the gatekeeper of a distorted Govt. created without the will of the people 
• Assures SJB will protect the people against President’s threats 

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday slammed the comments made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament on Wednesday, claiming he would not allow for yet another ‘Aragalaya’ to raise its head.

Premadasa, the leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) called the statement cowardly and barbaric and said he condemns it with deep disgust. 

“The statement made by the President who took over power from the Rajapaksas who fled after being defeated can be regarded as a reprehensible and autocratic one through the use of that power,” Premadasa said. 

Premadasa said the Aragalaya was launched by the people of this country and any future Aragalaya will also be carried out by the  citizenry. “Therefore, the President is admitting he would oppress the country’s people,” he noted. 

Premadasa accused Wickremesinghe of facilitating the Rajapaksas’ after their defeat against the people of the Aragalaya who banded together casting aside all divides to rid the country of the Rajapaksa regime which was taking the country towards a dark economic abyss. 

“He is now the gatekeeper of a distorted Government created without the mandate of the people. If the President who was appointed through the backdoor and is now under the protection of a group of economy killers believes his cowardly statements would instil fear in the people, I must remind him of the political revolution that took place several months ago,” he said. 

Premadasa said Wickremesinghe who does not believe in a people’s will and sovereignty would not be allowed to carry out a fascist-type program in Sri Lanka. “The Samagi Jana Balawegaya will stand against any such acts and ensure the President or Government be forced to reverse any steps taken in this regard,” he said. 

Calling Wickremesinghe a puppet of the killers of the country’s economy, Premadasa said the people however are not such puppets. 

“His inflamed statement makes it clear he will launch acts of oppression against the people. But we will not heed such threats,” the Opposition leader said, calling on the people to also ignore the comments by the President. He assured the SJB would protect the people against any such threat from the country’s rulers. 

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