New Delhi: In Sri Lanka, where demonstrators protested the deepening economic and political crisis, on Saturday, exactly 116 days after, they took over the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapakshe. At the same time, Gotabaya, who escaped from Colombo after this capture, decided to resign on July 13.
However, before this, his brother Mahindra Rajapakse also resigned from the post of Prime Minister in May last. Let us tell you that the demonstration against the Rajapaksa family in Sri Lanka started on March 15 this year itself.
Here, after capturing the presidential residence, late-night protesters surrounded the house of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, after which Wickremesinghe also announced his resignation. Here, Sri Lanka’s Chief Defense Staff Shavendra Silva has appealed to the protesters to cooperate with the soldiers to maintain peace.
It is worth noting that earlier yesterday, a group of protesters had reached outside the stadium of the ongoing Australia-Sri Lanka match in Galle. Former Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya also joined the protesters. At the same time, the movement has become fierce in the capital Colombo. More than 100 people have been injured in a clash with the police here.
What happened so far
- After the protest, Gotabaya Rajapaksa said to resign conditionally on July 13. However, Gotabaya has not been seen in Colombo after July 8.
- Hiren Fernando and Manusha Nayankara, who were ministers in the Sri Lankan government, have also tendered their resignations.
- To restore peace, the Sri Lankan Police imposed a curfew in many provinces today amid the deteriorating situation in the country.
- The Chief Defense Staff has also appealed to the people to maintain peace.
- Earlier, the protesters attacked Samagi Jana Balvegaya (SJB) MP Rajita Senaratne.
Here, after the public occupation of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the pressure increased, then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe resigned from his post. Along with this, he gave information about this on social media. Before the resignation, the PM had called an emergency meeting in this regard, in which Assembly Speaker Mahinda Yappa Abhaywardene had proposed to be made interim President. According to the Sri Lankan Constitution – If the President resigns, the Speaker can become the interim President for one month.