This comes after the ruling coalition lost its majority in the 225 member Parliament following a declaration by 40 MPs of independence from the ruling coalition.
New Delhi: Barely four days after its imposition, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksha late on Tuesday night revoked the nationwide Emergency that gave sweeping powers to the security forces to curb any form of violence in the country amid an economic crisis.
This comes after the ruling coalition lost its majority in the 225 member Parliament following a declaration by 40 MPs of independence from the ruling coalition.
The Emergency was enforced on April 1 amid heightened protests mainly in the capital city of Colombo and other parts of the country. On March 31, As per reports, over 1,000 people had come down on the streets of the capital city. The protesters staged a massive protest outside the house of Rajapaksa, waved posters and raised slogans, said sources. Reports of scuffles between protesters and the police had also come in even as the law enforcement agencies had tried to pacify the angry protesters.
Even amid the Emergency, protests continued unabated and angry mobs continued to gherao the houses of senior party leaders of the ruling faction to seek a solution to the economic crisis. The protests also led the government to impose a curfew.
Opposition parties, which have held the Rajapaksa government responsible for the worst ever economic downturn in the island nation, had on Monday declined the president’s proposal to join the proposed unity government as a “sham”. The Opposition had termed the move ‘nonsensical’ and had mounted pressure on the President to submit his resignation over the country’s worsening shortages of food, fuel and medicines.
According to the reports, Finance Minister, Ali Sabry, resigned just a day after assuming the office. His resignation came in the backdrop of extreme pressure and unrest from Sri Lankan people. On Monday, Rajapaksa had appointed four new ministers in his cabinet and Ali Sabry was one of them.
