Sri Lanka Crisis / Sri Lankan President to leave Maldives for Singapore later today, media report says

Zoom News : Jul 13, 2022, 05:24 PM
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled the country and fled to the Maldives. The anger of Sri Lankans has flared up after Rajapaksa left the country. Protesters are furiously rioting on the streets of the capital Colombo. In view of the fierce opposition of the people, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared emergency.


Violent clashes broke out between police and protesters at many places. Wickremesinghe has given the responsibility of handling the current situation to the Chief of Defense Staff, Tri-forces Commanders and Inspector General Police (IGP). According to the report of the Lankan Prime Minister's Office, more than 30 protesters have been injured so far.


The protesters have also demanded the intervention of the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi in the matter. The protesters are being monitored by helicopter. Along with this, aerial firing has also been done to control the crowd.


Protesters refute occupation on National TV

In media reports, the studio of National TV 'Roopvahini' was claimed to be occupied by protesters. However, the protesters later issued a statement saying that they had not captured national TV.


The agitators say that they had entered the studio only after discussing with the officials of Rupvahini Corporation. He also requested them to spread their views. After which 15 minutes of screentime was given. However, now the telecast of Roopvahini has started again.


President Rajapaksa, who fled the country, has not resigned. He has replaced Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the acting President. Heavy security forces have been deployed outside the Prime Minister's residence of Sri Lanka. The protesters are also demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister.


Airforce gave aircraft to Gotabaya

The media director of the Sri Lankan Air Force said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the First Lady and two bodyguards were given full permission from the Defense Ministry regarding immigration, customs and other laws to travel to the Maldives. On the morning of July 13, he was provided with an Air Force aircraft.


America did not give visa to Gotabaya

Gotabaya Rajapaksa wanted to leave Sri Lanka and flee to America, but America did not give him a visa. Rajapaksa had dual citizenship of Sri Lanka and the US, but gave up his US citizenship before the 2019 presidential election.


Actually, there is a provision of single citizenship in the constitution of Sri Lanka. In such a situation, he only needed to be a citizen of Sri Lanka to contest the presidential election.

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