A broad coalition of opposition parties, operating under the banner “Mahajana Handa” (The People’s Voice), has announced a major public rally on November 21 to protest the government’s alleged failures and violations of fundamental rights.

At a press conference in Colombo, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila issued a stark warning, claiming Sri Lanka is facing “the greatest threat to life since the defeat of LTTE terrorism” and accusing the government of “snatching away the right of the people of this country to live.”

Drawing a chilling parallel, Gammanpila declared, “This kind of situation previously existed only in Hitler’s Germany,” adding that the Sri Lanka Police today “has become Hitler’s Gestapo Police.”

Gammanpila outlined that the “Mahajana Handa” alliance includes a wide spectrum of parties and independent parliamentarians, citing the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), United National Party (UNP), and Jathika Nidahas Peramuna, among others. He stated the group has been meeting weekly since April to plan future actions.

However, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) did not participate in Thursday’s press conference.

The PHU leader launched a blistering critique of the government’s performance, centered on President Anura Dissanayake, who completed one year in office on September 23.

“Out of the 1,359 promises given in the President’s election manifesto, not a single one had been fulfilled by the end of that first year,” Gammanpila alleged.

He argued that while the government initially made excuses—such as lacking a parliamentary majority—those justifications expired after the parliamentary election was held last November.

“Even after a year… the only promises that have been fulfilled are those that are of no use to the public,” Gammanpila stated, using the removal of official residences from retired presidents as an example.

Gammanpila further accused the government of eroding the rule of law by decentralizing the “President’s executive power and the court’s judicial power to the underworld (පාතාලයට).”

He also highlighted alleged violent rhetoric from government allies, claiming a mayor had stated they were “ready to secure power even if they had to kill a hundred thousand people.”