New Delhi: Amid the nationwide protests in Sri Lanka, the leaders of the majority parties who met on Saturday evening, decided to appoint Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena as the temporary President until an all-party government is formed, news agency IANS reported.
As the agitation against the economic woes in the island nation intensified, angry protestors stormed the official residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe and set it on fire, according to reports.
Here are the key developments on the ongoing Sri Lankan crisis:
- Based on a decision taken by the leaders of majority parties, Sri Lanka Speaker of the Parliament will ask President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down from their posts in a bid to put an end to the ongoing upheaval.
- PM Wickremesinghe, however, has not agreed to step down immediately. As per reports, he said he would resign after the all-party government is formed and majority in the Parliament is proved by any group which wants to take over.
- President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who hasn’t made any public appearance since Friday night when he urged people to stay calm, has not officially responded so far.
- PM Wickremesinghe expressed regret over the assault on journalists who are covering the ongoing protests, by security personnel. “Freedom of media is paramount to Democracy in Sri Lanka,” a PMO statement said, reported news agency ANI.
- PM Wickremesinghe urged both the security forces and the protesters to act with restraint in order to prevent any violence and ensure public safety.
- Amid the nationwide unrest, protestors barged into the premises of the presidential palace in Colombo earlier in the day.
- President Rajapaksa fled his official residence as thousands of protestors barged into his house in Colombo on Saturday, as per reports.