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Former Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara has urged the Government to provide substantial financial relief to the public through the 2027 Budget, warning that failure to address the economic hardships faced by ordinary people could trigger growing public dissatisfaction and stronger political criticism. He said the Government must prioritise meaningful financial assistance, tax reductions and stronger social safety nets in the upcoming budget to ease the burden on households. Nanayakkara warned that public anger towards the Government could increase significantly if adequate relief was not provided, noting that people were already facing severe economic difficulties. He also observed that public expectations for Budget 2027 were particularly high, especially regarding measures to ease inflationary pressures, revise taxes and strengthen social welfare assistance. Commenting on the political climate, the former minister said there was currently no significant active opposition to the Government among ordinary people. He cautioned, however, that the absence of strong public resistance meant that the implications of certain laws and measures described as anti-democratic were not yet being widely felt, despite the potential threats they could pose to individual freedoms and democracy in the future.