Govt calls all-party meet on Sri Lanka crisis Tuesday; Jaishankar to brief MPs
PTI, Jul 19, 2022, 11:18 AM IST
The government has called an all-party meeting over the Sri Lankan crisis on Tuesday which will be addressed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades, with a severe foreign exchange shortage hampering the import of essentials including food, fuel, and medicines. The economic crisis also sparked a political crisis in the country after a popular uprising against the government. Acting president Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a state of emergency in the country.
During a meeting of all parties convened ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Tamil Nadu-based DMK and AIADMK demanded that India should intervene in the crisis shrouding the neighboring country.
After the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said both Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will brief leaders of various political parties on the Sri Lankan crisis during an all-party meeting on Tuesday.
Now, it is not clear whether Sitharaman will address the meeting as she has tested Covid positive. The island nation off the tip of southeast India needs about USD 5 billion in the next six months to cover the basic necessities for its 22 million people, who have been struggling with long queues, worsening shortages, and power cuts.
India has been the principal source of foreign assistance to Sri Lanka this year.
Sri Lankan protesters have vowed to continue their struggle for a complete change of the system by abolishing the presidency, as the popular uprising, that ousted Gotabaya Rajapaksa as president, marked the 100th day on Sunday. The anti-government protest began on April 9 near the presidential office and has been continuing without a break.
Rajapaksa, 73, who fled to the Maldives on Wednesday and then landed in Singapore on Thursday, formally resigned on Friday, capping off a chaotic 72 hours in the crisis-hit nation that saw protesters storm many iconic buildings, including the President and the Prime Minister’s residences here.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Maha Kumbh 2025: 50,000 police personnel to ensure safety of pilgrims
Epigamia founder Rohan Mirchandani dies of cardiac arrest at age 42
Turned dreams of people into source of income: Priyanka slams govt over GST on exam forms
Goa-bound Vande Bharat train deviates from regular route due to technical snag at Diva station
Mayawati slams BJP, Cong over Ambedkar row
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Nelamangala accident: Tried avoiding hitting car in front, lost control, claims truck driver
Derogatory word against minister: AICC leader Surjewala calls for strict action against BJP MLC
Maha Kumbh 2025: 50,000 police personnel to ensure safety of pilgrims
Epigamia founder Rohan Mirchandani dies of cardiac arrest at age 42
Turned dreams of people into source of income: Priyanka slams govt over GST on exam forms
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.