Sri Lanka's Oppn leader requests PM Modi to help nation amid financial crisis

In the midst of a massive financial downturn and instability, Sri Lankan Opposition leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Sajith Premadasa has requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to assist his country to the greatest extent possible. During an interview with ANI, MP Premadasa stated, "Please try and help Sri Lanka to the maximum possible extent. This is our motherland and we need to save it." 

This request from the opposition leader came after Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's administration had imposed a 36-hour curfew in the island nation on Saturday, after implementing a countrywide social media blockade starting from the night of violent protests on Sunday. 

In addition to this, Premadasa stated that he and his party are prepared to contest an election if one is held. He asserted, “I can tell you, myself and [other members of the party] all have been ready ever since we entered social service and political service. We are ready for any eventuality,” ANI reported.  

India supplied 40,000 MT of diesel to Sri Lanka to assist in alleviating the nation's power crisis

Meanwhile, on Saturday, India has supplied 40,000 MT of diesel to Sri Lanka to assist in alleviating the nation's power crisis. This has been considered to be the fourth consignment of fuel provided to Colombo as part of India's US $500 million oil line of credit (LoC) with Sri Lanka. Further, during the past 50 days, India has delivered around 200,000 MT of gasoline to the island country. 

Apart from this, earlier on Monday, April 4, the Sri Lankan MP has called the departure of Cabinet Ministers a melodrama. Premadasa has described the en masse resignation of the government as an "exercise in fooling the people". The resignation of 26 cabinet ministers, which also includes Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's son Namal Rajapaksa, is a "melodrama," according to him. 

Premadasa further asserted, “There is no genuine effort to bring sanity to our society and relief to the people. It is an exercise to fool the people," ANI reported. 

Crisis in Sri Lanka

The island nation is currently struggling to make ends meet owing to the intense economic crisis, with food and fuel shortages impacting a substantial portion of the population. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy has been in free fall. Sri Lanka is also experiencing a foreign exchange crisis, which has hampered the country's ability to purchase food and gasoline, resulting in power outages. Sri Lanka was compelled to seek aid from friendly nations due to a lack of basic products. 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had declared a countrywide state of emergency in the wake of a series of protests and demonstrations over the nation's greatest economic crisis. Vehicles were set on fire outside the Sri Lankan President's mansion, causing violence. As per media reports, in an attempt to bring the situation under control, police had fired tear gas as well as water cannons at the demonstrators who ripped down a steel barricade near the president's mansion. Several people were detained as a result of the event.  

(Image: ANI/ AP/ PIB)