Colombo: Basil Rajapakse, 71, the former finance minister and younger brother of President Gotabaya Rajapakse, who tried to escape from Sri Lanka to the United States, was stopped and sent back by immigration officials at the Colombo airport.
As President Gotabaya’s attempt to escape by plane was thwarted, it is reported that he is planning to escape by sea.
Interim Chancellor
The people of our neighboring country, Sri Lanka, have entered the official residence of the President Gotabaya Rajapakse and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and are holding a sit-in protest. The President and the Prime Minister are absconding at an undisclosed location.
Gotabaya resigns as President today. It has been reported that he signed the letter yesterday and that it is going to be placed in the possession of the Speaker today through a senior government official.
Following the resignation of the president, the election to elect a new interim president on the 20th is going to be held in Parli. Once the president is elected, an interim government comprising all parties will be formed. After that, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to resign from his post.
The main opposition party, Samaki Jana Balavekaya Party leader Sajith Premadasa, is trying to make him the interim president. In this case, Basil Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s former finance minister and the younger brother of President Gotabaya Rajapakse, resigned from his post last April.
He, who holds an American ‘passport’, arrived at the Colombo International Airport yesterday to escape from Sri Lanka to the United States. Immigration officials stopped anyone trying to enter the airport through the ‘Silk Route’ gate used by VVIPs.
Travelers also protested Basil Rajapakse leaving the country. Subsequently, the immigration authorities denied him permission to travel. So, Basil was turned away from the airport.
Dubai Escape Plan
Meanwhile, yesterday evening, an aide of President Gotabaya arrived at the Colombo airport. He said that 15 people, including the president, his wife and family members, had pre-booked tickets for the SriLankan Airways flight to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and handed over their passports to the immigration officer.
But the authorities also sent him back. Due to this, the plan of President Gotabaya and his family to go to Dubai was foiled. After this, information has come out that Gotabaya is trying to escape to some country by sea.
In this case, considering the state of emergency in the country, the gate for VVIPs at the airport has been permanently closed until further notice. Following this incident, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka yesterday.
Details: Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, Basil Rajapakse, former Central Bank Governors Ajit Nivard Kabral, WT Laxman, former Finance Secretary SR Atikele and others should be temporarily banned from leaving the country. Legal action should be taken against those who have disrupted the country’s economy through financial irregularities and mismanagement. This has been requested in the petition.
A request has been made to take up this petition for hearing tomorrow. Meanwhile, news spread that President Gotabaya Rajapakse is hiding in a private bungalow owned by Air Force Chief Sudarsana Pathirana. This has been categorically denied by the country’s Air Force. Air Force Spokesperson Dushan Wijesinghe said that such rumors are being spread to tarnish the reputation of the Air Force.
10 people injured!
Protesters occupied the Presidential Palace and the Prime Minister’s official residence, ‘Temple Trees’ and office. Clashes broke out between the protestors at the Prime Minister’s residence yesterday due to a difference of opinion. In this, 10 people, including a woman, were injured. All of them were hospitalized. The media wing of the Prime Minister reported to the police that some expensive equipment, including a ‘video camera’, was stolen from the Prime Minister’s office.
Bread price rise!
In Sri Lanka, the price of bread has been increased again while the price of essential commodities is already at its peak. In this regard, All Sri Lanka Bakery Owners Association President NK Jayawardene said: The price of wheat flour has increased to 300 rupees per kilogram. As a result, the price of bakery products including bread could not be avoided. Therefore, we have increased the price of bread by Rs.20 and the price of other bakery products by Rs.10. This is what he said.
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