Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers resigned with immediate effect late on Sunday night, as the country experiences its worst economic crisis of all time.
Speaking to reporters, Education Minister and Leader of the House, Dinesh Gunawardena said the Cabinet Ministers handed over their resignations to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.He proffered no reason for the mass resignation.However, political experts here said the ministers came under intense pressure from the public over the government’s alleged “mishandling” of the economic crisis, triggered by the shortage in the foreign exchange reserve.Wide spread public protests were seen throughout the evening in spite of the imposition of curfew which is due to end on Monday morning.The enraged public has been demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The enraged public has been demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.The government declared a state of emergency after an angry mob surrounded the private residence of Rajapaksa on March 31.A planned social media triggered mass protest was scheduled for Sunday. However, the government responded by imposing a 36-hour curfew.Since evening, rumours have been floating to the effect that Rajapaksa may opt for an interim government to handle the economic crisis.Distrubing scenes were seen across the island.Sri Lankan police fired tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of university students during a protest in the central province. The protest was held despite the curfew. The government’s poor handling of the economic crisis where people currently endure long hours of power outages and scarcity of essentials has angered the public which planned country-wide protests on Sunday.
The government ordered internet service providers to restrict social media access, tightening curbs to prevent planned demonstrations calling for President Rajapaksa’s ouster over soaring living costs and a foreign exchange crisis. The social media curbs were lifted in the second half of Sunday.Defying curfew orders, lawmakers from Sri Lanka’s principal opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya staged an anti-government protest in Colombo against President Rajapaksa’s move to impose a state of emergency and other restrictions.”We will protect democracy in SriLanka,” opposition legislator Harsha de Silva said.The Opposition lawmakers marched towards Colombo’s Independence Square, chanting slogans and carrying placards that read: “Stop Suppression” and “Gota go home.”Police officials set up barricades leading up to the Independence Square, which was built to commemorate Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948.In Central Province, hundreds of students from the University of Peradeniya took to streets to protest against the present state of affairs in the country. However, police installed barricades close to the university.
