Ranawaka Slams Government Over Alleged Use of JVP Cadres and Police to Silence Opposition

Former minister and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka has launched a sharp attack on the current government, alleging that it is deploying JVP party cadres and the police as tools to suppress political opposition across the country.

A Party That Once Championed Protest Now Stifles It, Says Ranawaka

Speaking publicly on Monday, Ranawaka reminded Sri Lankans that the JVP — the party at the core of the ruling NPP alliance led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake — had itself staged more than 560 protests during the Yahapalanaya administration between 2015 and 2019. He argued that it was deeply hypocritical for the same party to now actively work to prevent others from exercising that same democratic right.

Ranawaka, who himself served as a minister during the Yahapalanaya government, stressed that freedom of assembly and political expression were fundamental rights that no administration should be permitted to curtail, regardless of which party holds power.

Allegations of State-Backed Intimidation

The URF leader alleged that JVP activists were being coordinated alongside law enforcement to intimidate and obstruct opposition figures and their supporters. He characterised these actions as a dangerous trend that undermines Sri Lanka's democratic fabric and sets a troubling precedent for political governance in the country.

Ranawaka drew a direct contrast between the JVP's past conduct as an aggressive protest movement and what he described as its current role as an instrument of political repression under the cover of state authority.

Growing Tensions Between Government and Opposition

The accusations come amid a broader atmosphere of political friction between the NPP-led government and opposition parties who claim they are being systematically marginalised. Critics have pointed to several recent incidents where opposition gatherings faced disruptions, though the government has yet to formally respond to Ranawaka's latest claims.

Ranawaka's remarks are expected to intensify scrutiny on the government's approach to managing dissent, particularly as Sri Lanka continues its fragile economic and political recovery following the 2022 crisis.