New Delhi: As widespread protests escalate, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa announced his resignation on Monday, paving the way for a new administration in the crisis-torn country.
This comes days after President Gotbaya Rajapaksa demanded the Prime Minister’s resignation at a special meeting on Friday as a solution to the country’s ongoing political crisis, according to Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror.
President Rajapaksa is anticipated to call all political parties in Parliament to create an all-party Cabinet now that the Prime Minister has resigned.
Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has previously stated that he would not take the job of Prime Minister in an interim government.
Protesters conducted a demonstration outside the Prime Minister’s official residence, Temple Trees, on Monday morning, demanding Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa not to quit.
They battled with anti-government protestors near the Temple Trees after their meeting with the prime minister. At least 16 persons have been brought to the Colombo National Hospital with injuries.
He resigned shortly after sending out a tweet encouraging the general people to be cautious.
“While emotions are running high in #lka, I urge our general public to exercise restraint & remember that violence only begets violence. The economic crisis we’re in needs an economic solution which this administration is committed to resolving,” Mahinda said in a tweet.
Former Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara responded to Mahinda’s tweet by saying, “The only violence was caused by your’supporters’ – goons and thugs who arrived to your office first before assaulting the peaceful protestors.”
Sri Lanka has been in an economic crisis for weeks as a result of a foreign exchange shortfall, which has resulted in a shortage of vital goods such as fuel, food, and medications.
Protests have been ongoing for days calling on the government and lawmakers to find urgent solutions.
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