Sri Lanka Crisis / Gotabaya Rajapaksas house occupied by protesters new president may become speaker in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Crisis: The situation in Sri Lanka is getting worse. Angry people are now protesting on the streets. There has been a huge uproar in the country over the demand for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Hundreds of protesters forced their way into the president's official residence in the high-security Fort area of ​​central Colombo on Saturday, demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Protesters have been demonstrating against the government for several days due to the serious economic crisis. Since March, Rajapaksa has been under increasing pressure to resign from the presidency.

Speaker can become acting President of Sri Lanka

Gotabaya has been using the presidential residence as his residence and office since protesters occupied the entrance to his office in April. Meanwhile, the protesters have also demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ranil Vikram Singhe has said that he is ready to resign. If sources are to be believed, the speaker has called an emergency meeting regarding the violence in the country. Gotabaya's resignation is being discussed in this. If Gotabaya resigns, the speaker will continue to be the acting president until the next president is elected.

Rajapaksa had vacated the house on Friday itself.

People working in the presidential residence said that in view of Saturday's protest, President Rajapaksa had vacated the house on Friday itself. Police fired tear gas and water cannons and opened fire on the protesters to disperse them, but still the protesters broke through the barriers and entered the presidential residence. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called an urgent meeting of political party leaders on Saturday to discuss the crisis created by public protests in the country. A statement issued from Wickremesinghe's office said that he has called an immediate meeting of the party and requested the Speaker to convene the session of Parliament immediately.

Many injured in violent demonstration

The protesters climbed the walls of the presidential residence and they are inside. However, he did not damage any property or indulge in any kind of violence. Meanwhile, at least 30 people, including two police officers, were injured during the protests and have been admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo. The protesters also clashed with railway authorities in the cities of Galle, Kandy and Matara and forced the authorities to run trains to Colombo.

Army and police engaged in handling the situation

Large contingents of police, special task force and army have been deployed in the area. Organizers of the 'Whole Country to Colombo' movement said people were leaving the suburbs on foot to join the protesters at Colombo Fort. The protesters said they would not back down until Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned. Earlier, the Sri Lanka Police lifted the curfew from seven divisions on Saturday after increasing pressure from top lawyers' union, human rights groups and political parties.

Sri Lanka facing severe economic crisis

According to the police, curfew was imposed in seven police divisions in the Western Province which include Negombo, Kelaniya, Nugegoda, Mount Lavinia, North Colombo, South Colombo and Colombo Central. This curfew was implemented from 9 pm on Friday till further notice. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka opposed the curfew, terming it illegal and a violation of fundamental rights. "Such a curfew is clearly illegal and a violation of the fundamental rights of the people of our country who have been protesting against the failure of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government to protect their fundamental rights," the bar association said in a statement. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has described the curfew as a grave violation of human rights. Significantly, Sri Lanka, a country with a population of 22 million, is currently facing a serious economic crisis.