Marking Deepavali, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has highlighted the festival’s philosophical significance in overcoming oppression and injustice, noting that its underlying message is particularly relevant amid the current socio-economic challenges faced by the country.

He called on everyone to draw inspiration from the philosophy of Deepavali to uphold justice, protect people's rights and build a prosperous nation founded on religious, ethnic and linguistic diversity.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s full Deepavali message:

“The Deepavali festival, celebrated with great respect and devotion by Hindu devotees, is a festival with a very deep and philosophical foundation. In the celebration of Deepavali, we see a legend that wishes for light over darkness and good over evil, and celebrates its victory.

The socio-economic environment at this moment has set the stage, more than at any other time, for our society to experience the underlying meaning found within Deepavali—which commemorates the defeat of an attempt to oppress others through power.

Through the passing or the attempts to pass several pieces of legislation that suppress the sovereignty of the people which empowers economic burden on the people, the right to live freely, the rule of law, what we are experiencing is a darkness engulfing society. It is the growth of hardship rather than well-being in the lives of the people.

It must be noted that the philosophy hidden within Deepavali serves as an ideal and a guide for us to commit to formulating a plan and a resolve to fulfill the responsibility—as an accountability—of all those who act against wrongdoing to defeat this darkness, bringing society from darkness to light and from evil to good.

As we celebrate the Deepavali festival, I wish for everyone to be granted the strength, courage, and guidance to act with a correct understanding at present to build our motherland, whose foundation is set as a multi-religious, multi-ethnic, and multi-linguistic society, into a good nation.”