The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has raised concerns over President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s decision to declare a State of Emergency.

“This spells a great danger to the country,” TNA MP M. A Sumanthiran said, making a statement in a video clip released to the media.

He said that the move is an “unwarranted act” and could lead to a state of repression in the country. There had to be a separate law for public health emergency, he added.

The government had chosen to use the Public Security Ordinance instead of passing a Bill in Parliament for the relevant purpose, Sumanthiran said.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday enforced emergency regulations on five essential items.

The President’s Office said that under the powers vested in terms of the section II of the Public Security Ordinance, President Rajapaksa had declared emergency regulations formulated as per section V on essential food supply, with effect from midnight Monday, by enforcing directives under section II of the Ordinance.

Sumanthiran said: “This is an unwarranted act and this could lead to greater repression in the country. This is the reason why we have been saying that we must have a separate law for public health emergency. Although Parliament has been in existence for over a year, this has not been done by the government.

Even when a private member bill was introduced, although recently they said that they will pass it, the government has chosen to go for Public Security Ordinance rules. This spells great danger to the country, because after this it would be the President’s rules by himself making, regulations under the Public Security Ordinance, emergency regulations and that will surpass the considerations of health or even food supplies to the community. In any case there was no danger of essential food supplies being disrupted to the community as at present.”