New Delhi: Amid the massive protests in India's neighboring country Sri Lanka, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday praised Trivandrum and Kochi airports for helping the troubled island nation. "The airports have gone beyond their call of duty by allowing technical landing to 120+ aircraft bound for Sri Lanka. The gesture will go a long way in furthering ties with our neighbour," Scindia said in a tweet.






President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised that he would resign on July 13 amid growing resentment among the people, but he has already fled the country before resigning in view of the increasing fear of arrest. Sri Lanka's acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a televised speech, has ordered the Sri Lankan army and police to do whatever is possible to enforce law and order in the crisis-hit nation. He said that the protesters want to stop him from fulfilling his responsibilities.


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Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as acting President on Wednesday after Gotabaya Rajapaksa along with his wife fled to the Maldives amid massive protests that have gripped the country facing an economic crisis, PTI reported.


Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that President Rajapaksa had appointed Wickremesinghe to perform his functions while he was abroad. "This was under article 37(1) of the Constitution," he said.


Reacting to the appointment, Sri Lanka LoP Sajith Premadasa said, "PM becomes acting President only if President appoints him, his office falls vacant, or CJ in consultation with Speaker forms view that President is unable to act. Without these, PM can't exercise President's power and can't declare a curfew."


Sri Lanka is facing a shortage of diesel, due to which there is power cut for hours every day. There are long lines at petrol pumps and a shortage of food items and cooking gas. Earlier, a state of emergency was imposed two weeks ago in view of the unprecedented economic crisis and government protests. But then later, seeing the situation improving, the emergency was lifted on 21 May.