new Delhi: Amid the intensifying economic crisis in Sri Lanka, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reportedly refused to step down, saying he will fight the situation.
On Wednesday, his government’s chief whip, Johnson Fernando, told parliament that Rajapaksa would not step down “under any circumstances”. His statement came amid demands for Rajapaksa’s resignation due to the deepening economic crisis.
“The president has a mandate of 6.9 million people. As a government, we want to clearly say that the president will not resign,” news agency IANS quoted Minister Fernando as saying.
The people of the island nation have been protesting for the past two weeks as the country faces a severe shortage of food, fuel, water and medicines among other essential commodities. The people of Sri Lanka have also been facing power cuts for a long time. Due to this situation, a state of emergency was imposed in the country last week. It was picked up late Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, India has decided to send 40,000 tonnes of rice and a $1 billion line of credit to the country as a part of financial assistance in a $500 billion line of credit to buy petroleum products in February 2022. .
Following Rajapaksa’s claim of not leaving Parliament, India said 36,000 metric tonnes of petrol and 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel had been sent to Sri Lanka in the last 24 hours.
According to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, the total supply of various types of fuel under Indian aid to Sri Lanka now exceeds 270,000 metric tonnes.
One consignment each of 36,000 metric tonnes of petrol and 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel was delivered to Sri Lanka in the last 24 hours. The total supply of various types of fuel under Indian assistance now exceeds 270,000 metric tonnes: Indian High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka pic.twitter.com/ut3DGf18Dz
— ANI (@ANI) 6 April 2022
During the recently concluded Sri Lanka visit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also assured India’s support to Sri Lanka.