July 21, 2022
1 min read

Lanka President warns of crackdown on protests

Wickremesinghe vowed that legal action would be initiated against those who occupied the President and PM’s offices by force…reports Asian Lite News

Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s eighth President before the Parliament on Thursday, vowed to crackdown on protesters who took over President’s House and Prime Minister’s Office.

Wickremesinghe, who was elected with 134 votes in the parliament on Wednesday said “forcibly occupying the President’s Office and the Prime Minister’s Office under the guise of engaging in the people’s struggle was illegal.”

He vowed that legal action would be initiated against those who occupied the President and PM’s offices by force.

Wickremesinghe informed party leaders that he intends to prorogue parliament for 24 hours for a “fresh ceremonial start”.

The protesters, who occupied the entrance to the President’s Office for more than three months and later took over President’s Office with a violent clash on July 9 and Prime Minister’s office on July 13, had launched a fresh protest against Wickremesinghe claiming they would not accept his Presidency.

The protesters see Wickremesinghe as an ally of ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and charged that many MPs were bought over to vote for him.

As soon as Wickremesinghe was elected, police obtained a court order to remove the tents of the protesters occupied in the Galle Face Green.

Hours after Wickremesinghe was elected, protesters who gathered to the entrance of President’s Secretariat closer to the main protest site, announced that the unending protest would continue until Wickremesinghe is ousted.

Sri Lankan people, suffering with a massive economic crisis with no fuel, food and medicine, took to the streets on March 31 and continued street fights until former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his cabinet resigned on May 9 and on July 9 President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced his exit.

On May 13, then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had appointed Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister of the country after the then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as the country was trying to fight out the economic crisis.

After Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the crisis-hit country, Wickremesinghe was appointed as the acting President of the country.

ALSO READ: UN experts sound alarm on Lankan crisis

Previous Story

Rural Odisha discovers power of Twitter  

Next Story

Sonia Gandhi reaches ED office for questioning

Latest from -Top News

India, US Step Up Trade Talks

The development comes in the backdrop of the new US ambassador Sergio Gor taking charge in the US embassy is New Delhi….reports Asian Lite News India and the United States are progressing

Lanka Marks Next Phase of Indian Housing Drive

Phases III and IV of the Indian Housing Project highlight India’s commitment to supporting and empowering Sri Lanka’s Indian-origin Tamil community….reports Asian Lite News Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday

China’s Grab for Africa

China’s investments aim to strengthen its geopolitical influence and its high-tech manufacturing sector in Africa…reports Asian Lute News China is further consolidating its dominance in the rare earth elements sector by expanding

Pakistan Courts in Peril

The question now is whether Pakistan’s courts can continue to function as guardians of the law, or whether they will be reduced to instruments of control…reports Asian Lite News Pakistan judiciary’s independence
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Jaishankar meets Nepali Counterpart in Lanka

The meeting came just a few days ahead of Nepal

Lanka Ups Tourism Efforts

With the government’s new initiatives, there has been a significant