Recent Protests By Farmers Against the Government? No, Video Shared Out Of Context

A video is going viral on TikTok claiming to show a recent protest by farmers, with a Sinhala caption that reads, “The latest revival song composed by farmers… come and sing to the rhythm…”

The Sinhala word “පුනරුදය” (Punarudaya), which means revival, is used in the video and is a term commonly used to criticize the activities of the National People’s Power (NPP). This framing creates the impression that the protest is a recent event, prompting us to verify the authenticity of the video.

Evidence

A Google search using relevant keywords did not show any credible recent news reports or updates featuring this video or similar visuals.

We noticed that the TikTok video carried a watermark labeled “Mature Leadership.”On looking up the term “Mature Leadership,” we found that the video had been shared on a Facebook page with the same name on November 10, 2025, along with photographs of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Minister of Agriculture, Livestock Resources, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lal Kantha, and the Sinhala caption “The latest revival song composed by farmers.”

We also noticed the logo of the channel Derana Television in the video posted on the Mature Leadership Facebook page. A reverse image search of key frames from this video led to a Derana Television news report titled “The Voice of the Country’s Farmers,” which covered a farmers’ protest held on November 10, 2025, in Keppetipola.

Several mainstream news outlets also reported on this protest at the time. News reports can be seen here, here, and here.

Context

The parliament of Sri Lanka passed the 2026 national budget on December 5, 2025, following a 21 day debate that began with the presentation of the Appropriation Bill on November 7, 2025. During this period several sectors, including farmers, held protests and discussions over budget allocations.

The protest shown in the viral video took place on November 10, 2025, in Keppetipola, during this budget debate, accusing the government of neglecting the agricultural sector in the 2026 Budget. While the video is real, it is now being reshared without mentioning the date or place or its connection to the 2026 budget, which gives the impression that the protest is a recent or ongoing event. 

Verdict

The viral TikTok video is missing context and does not show a recent or ongoing farmers’ protest. It is footage from a protest held on November 10, 2025 in Keppetipola, during the 21-day debate on the 2026 Budget. The video is being reshared without proper context, creating the impression that the protest is happening now.

FAQs

Q1. Is the farmers’ protest shown in the TikTok video happening now?
No. The video shows a protest that took place on November 10, 2025, and is not a current event.

Q2. Where did this protest take place?
The protest took place in Keppetipola, with participation from farmers from areas including Welimada and Uva Paranagama.

Q3. Why did the farmers protest?
Farmers protested because they alleged that the government neglected the agricultural sector in the 2026 Budget and failed to provide fair solutions to their problems.

Our Sources
News video published on the Ada Derana YouTube channel on 10.11.2025.
News report published on the Daily Mirror website on 10.11.2025.
News report published on The Morning website on 11.11.2025.
News report published on the News Tube website on 10.11.2025.