Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigns, curfew across the country

Colombo. Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse resigned on Monday. Prime Minister Mahinda (76) sent his resignation letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Meanwhile, army personnel have been deployed in the capital Colombo after his (Mahinda Rajapaksa) supporters attacked protesters outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office. At least 78 people were injured in this attack. Sri Lankan authorities imposed a nationwide curfew on Monday. At least two cabinet ministers have also announced their resignations.

Sri Lanka is going through the most severe economic crisis ever since its independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis arose mainly because of the shortage of foreign exchange which means that the country is unable to pay for the imports of staple food items and fuels. Thousands of protesters have been on the streets across Sri Lanka since April 9, as the government ran out of funds for imports. The prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing. Mahinda Rajapaksa was facing heavy pressure from within his own party 'Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna' (SLPP) to resign.

Earlier, political sources had said that the pressure of the opposition on the government led by Prime Minister Rajapaksa's younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is increasing continuously. Mahinda Rajapakse, 76, is facing heavy pressure from within his own party 'Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna' (SLPP) to resign. Mahinda Rajapaksa has agreed to resign as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at a special cabinet meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan chaired by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Colombo Page reports. PM Mahinda had said many times before that he can resign if needed. After this, there will be a reshuffle in the cabinet next week.