-By LeN Political correspondent
(Lanka-e-News -27.May.2025, 12.05 PM) Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has vowed that his government will not allow any reversal of the steps taken towards social progress. Declaring an end to the grip of archaic traditions, the President said his administration has been built with a forward-thinking vision, determined to drive progressive transformation across the nation.
Speaking at a gathering at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday morning (25th), where he met newly elected members of provincial councils who represent the National People’s Power (NPP), President Dissanayake underlined his unwavering commitment to a new era of governance.
“No citizen who brings a public grievance should ever be turned away in frustration,” he told the councillors. “We must continuously learn from the people. That is the essence of true public service.”
He added that the NPP had deliberately opened the doors of provincial governance to a new generation entering politics, and from among the 3,926 newly elected councillors, the nation’s future leadership must emerge.
“A society can only move forward if it breathes new life,” the President said. “Only by integrating new knowledge, technology, and experiences can the country accelerate towards a better future.”
Reflecting on the NPP’s long journey to power, President Dissanayake recalled a time not long ago when the movement stood on the margins of electoral politics. The 2019 presidential election, he said, was a turning point that signalled a setback for their political project—falling to just 3% of the vote.
Subsequently, in the parliamentary election, they gained modest ground, securing a few seats. “Yet we persevered. Despite the mockery and the humiliation, despite our own friends urging us to give up, we remained resolute,” he recounted.
“In our villages, members who raised the NPP flag were ridiculed. Some were ostracised. But through this adversity, we built an unshakable foundation—a commitment to justice, to democracy, and to a future shaped by the people, not by elites.”
That perseverance paid off. The NPP won the presidency, formed a three-member executive, and most recently, emerged as the leading political force in the local government elections, securing the highest number of councils and councillors.
“We have the numerical strength to form 152 local councils outright. As a single party, we have the highest number of elected representatives. Even in places where coalitions form marginal majorities, the people's mandate remains clearly with us,” the President stated.
“This is a victory not of demagoguery or divisive nationalism, but of a progressive and forward-looking citizenry—people who rejected racism and extremism, and instead chose unity, equity, and reason.”
President Dissanayake also condemned the history of ethnonationalist manipulation that has haunted Sri Lankan politics.
“Time and again, those in power have stirred up ethnic and religious sentiment to cling to power,” he said. “In every past regime change, nationalism or religious extremism played a role—overtly or covertly.”
“But in the last elections, the people refused to be baited. They rejected those dog whistles. They chose not monarchs on thrones, but leaders who walk with the people—shoulder to shoulder.”
The President then turned his attention to the corrosive influence of wealth in politics.
“For too long, our political system was dictated by money—its hoarders, and those it purchased. We are not men and women of such privilege. The people elected us not because we are rich, but because we represent a new political desire—an aspiration for justice, dignity, and critical thought.”
“There is a demand for a society that values personal freedoms, critical discourse, and the right to dissent. This is what lies at the heart of the people’s mandate.”
President Dissanayake underscored the progressive ethos of the NPP government: a commitment to economic democracy, equality, and just distribution of national wealth.
“This is not a government built on nostalgia. Had the people wanted to return to the past, they had plenty of polished candidates to choose from. But they didn’t. They chose us—for something new, something bolder.”
He asserted that the NPP administration has elevated Sri Lankan society and politics to a new stage—“a leap in social progress.”
“The world is moving forward,” he said. “Societies everywhere are evolving with new hopes and expectations. Development is not just about concrete and GDP. It’s about elevating the human condition.”
“Our government,” the President declared, “represents an opportunity for this country to break free from outdated dogmas and chart a truly progressive path forward.”
And in closing, he was unequivocal:
“This path we’ve taken—towards justice, equality, and progress—is not one we will ever allow to be reversed.”
Full Video as follows
---------------------------
by (2025-05-27 06:34:24)
)
Read 18282 Times
Leave a Reply
0 discussion on this news