The central government has convened an all-party meeting to discuss the ongoing bedlam in Sri Lanka triggered by forex crunch and massive shortages of essentials. During the course of this meeting, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra is likely to give a presentation on prevailing situation in the island nation and assistance that India has given in the past before the members of Parliament.
Sources told news agency ANI, “The government is calling for suo moto meeting to address the concerns of several political parties, especially in Tamil Nadu as they are worried about the Sri Lankan crisis and the influx of refugees in the state.”
Moreover, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were scheduled to brief the floor leaders of all political parties in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi. However, the Finance Minister has tested positive for COVID-19.
This is not the first all-party meeting on the Sri Lankan crisis. At the all-party meet on Sunday, AIADMK and DMK urged the Centre to intervene in the crisis to help the neighbouring country.
In his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaishankar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also sought the Centre’s permission to send relief material to Sri Lanka, which is reeling under economic distress.
India has provided an assistance of around $3.8 billion to tide over the serious economic situation in the island nation in keeping with the Neighbourhood First policy.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s acting president Ranil Wickremsinghe has imposed a state of emergency in the country in the midst of unrest ahead of a vote in parliament for electing a new president later this week.
The notification from his office read, “It is expedient, so to do, in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essentials to the life of the community.”
(With inputs from agencies)