I think India has helped to the maximum, said former Sri Lanka PM
Highlights
- Sri Lanka is witnessing its worst ever political crisis
- Former Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has praised India for helping the most
- He also said that no Chinese investments have come under the present govt in Sri Lanka
Praising India for helping amid worst economic crisis in the country, former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the neigbhour has helped to the maximum.
"I think India has helped to the maximum. We will have to see, and they are still helping in non-financial ways. So, we have to be thankful to them," said Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo.
Ranil Wickremesinghe further said that there have been no heavy Chinese investment taken place under the present government. "They've sought investments but they haven't come in... I think discussions are on about rescheduling of repayment of loans. They've to talked to Chinese government."
Meanwhile, as Lanka battles its worst crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa invited the eleven-party coalition allies comprising 42 independent MPs for a discussion, according to a media report.
During the meeting, which is scheduled to take place on today, the MPs will also request the president to remove his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and appoint a new cabinet to address the unprecedented crisis faced by the island nation.
Last week the entire Sri Lankan cabinet resigned apart from Mahinda at a time when the country was facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from the UK in 1948.
During the meeting, the MPs will also hand out a list of proposals to President Rajapaksa to bail out Sri Lanka from the current economic and political crisis, the Colombo Page news portal reported.
This letter with the signatures of the President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, former President Maithripala Sirisena, MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara, MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and President's Counsel Wijayadasa Rajapaksha on behalf of the 42 MPs who left the government and sat in Parliament as an independent group, has been sent to the President on Friday, Lankadeepa reported.
These political manoeuvrings were taking place amid a massive anti-government street protest demanding the Sri Lankan President’s resignation.
People have been protesting for weeks over lengthy power cuts and shortage of gas, food and other basic goods.
Since Saturday, protesters from all walks of life have marched into Galle Face where Rajapaksa’s secretariat is located.
President Rajapaksa and his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, continue to hold power in Sri Lanka, despite their politically powerful family being the focus of public ire.
The President has defended his government's actions, saying the foreign exchange crisis was not his making and the economic downturn was largely pandemic driven with the island nation’s tourism revenue and inward remittances waning.
ALSO READ | Sri Lanka's main opposition party to move no-confidence motion against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
ALSO READ | 19 more Lankan Tamils take reach India amid worst economic crisis
