In a fiery session in Parliament, National People's Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake raised concerns over the proposed allocation of Rs. 110 million in the Budget 2024 for former Presidents, including Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Dissanayake emphasized that both former Presidents have been found responsible by the Supreme Court for the collapse of Sri Lanka's economy.

Addressing the Parliament, Dissanayake revealed that the allocation for the former Presidents was significantly higher than the previous year, standing at Rs. 110 million compared to the Rs. 84 million allocated in the previous budget. The NPP leader argued that financial provisions should not be made for individuals who have been implicated in a Supreme Court ruling concerning the economic downturn.

Dissanayake asserted, "Our stance is that financial allocations should not be made with regards to them, given the court verdict." He emphasized that the Supreme Court's findings on the responsibility of the former Presidents for the economic crisis should guide budgetary decisions, highlighting the need for accountability and prudence in public funds allocation.

The NPP leader called for the immediate scrapping of the proposed allocations, citing the court's verdict as a compelling reason to withhold financial support for the implicated former Presidents