Sri Lankan opposition parties have rejected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe's authority as acting President. Sri Lanka's opposition called Wickremsinghe's appointment illegal as he was appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after he fled to Maldives’ capital city Male along with his wife and two staffers.
Fearing severe backlash from citizens, Rajapaksa reportedly sought a private jet to fly from Maldives to Singapore and ditched the Singapore Airlines flight scheduled for tonight at 11:55 pm Sri Lankan time.
Amid allegations of Maldives government “harbouring” Rajapaksa, a Maldives government official said he was only “transitioning” there and would soon move to a new destination.
The development comes after reports emerged that neither Wickremsinghe nor President Gotabaya Rajapaksa have tendered their resignations. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that Rajapaksa did not resign on Wednesday. The election for new President is likely to be held on July 20 and nominations for the same will be filed on July 19.
Opposition called these actions by the government “total anarchy” whereas Wickremsinghe alleged there was a “fascist threat” to democracy in Sri Lanka. He said, “We can’t let them tear up our Constitution.”
Meanwhile, protests have intensified across the island nation as protestors took at the Polduwa junction seized a T-56 firearm and 2 magazines having 60 bullets from a Sri Lankan Army officer. Military tried to regain control of the Prime Minister’s office but protestors managed to get back in, as per local media reports.
Police and military personnel are constantly trying to deter protestors by firing tear gas shells, firing in the air and conducting air patrolling. 42 people got injured in yesterday’s clashes.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in almost seven decades, leaving the common man to struggle with food, medicine, fuel, drug and other essential products. Wickremsinghe said Sri Lanka is now a bankrupt country.
(With inputs from India Today, agencies)
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