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Economic crisis, rising prices have caused distress: Sonia Gandhi on Sri Lanka crisis
“The Indian National Congress has been following with concern the evolving political situation in Sri Lanka. The economic challenges, rising prices and shortage of food, fuel and essential commodities have caused enormous hardships and distress among the people there,” Sonia Gandhi said in a statement.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday expressed concerns over the “evolving political situation” in Sri Lanka amid its economic crisis and hoped India will continue to assist the people and government of the neighbouring country.
“The Indian National Congress has been following with concern the evolving political situation in Sri Lanka. The economic challenges, rising prices and shortage of food, fuel and essential commodities have caused enormous hardships and distress among the people there,” Gandhi said in a statement.
The Congress party expresses its solidarity with Sri Lanka and its people in this moment of grave crisis and hopes they will be able to overcome it, she said. “We hope that India will continue to assist the people and government of Sri Lanka as they deal with the difficulties of the current situation,” she added.
The Congress party also urges the international community to extend all assistance and support to Sri Lanka, the party chief said.
On Saturday, anti-government protesters stormed embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s official residence in Colombo and demanded his resignation over the island nation’s worst economic crisis in recent memory.
Throughout the day, soldiers and police were unable to hold back a crowd of chanting protesters demanding Rajapaksha’s resignation and blaming him for the situation.
Besides storming the President’s official residence, protesters also entered the private residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and set it on fire.
Neither Rajapaksha nor Wickremesinghe were in their residences when the buildings were attacked. Rajapaksha will step down from his post on July 13, the country’s parliamentary speaker said on Saturday.
