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regular-article-logo Monday, 13 May 2024

India sends 76,000 tonnes of fuel to crisis-hit Sri Lanka in 24 hours

The island nation is reeling under protests

Our Bureau, Agencies Colombo Published 06.04.22, 07:47 PM
The country of 20 million people is suffering its worst economic crisis in decades

The country of 20 million people is suffering its worst economic crisis in decades File picture.

India has delivered two fuel consignments to Sri Lanka in the last 24 hours, India's high commission on the crisis-hit island nation said on Wednesday.

India supplied 36,000 tonnes of petrol and 40,000 tonnes of diesel, the high commission said, taking total Indian fuel supplies to Sri Lanka to 270,000 tonnes.

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The country of 20 million people is suffering its worst economic crisis in decades, short supply of fuel resulting in hours-long power cuts every day.

Sri Lankan Government on Wednesday said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will not resign under any circumstances and will face the current issues, as it defended the embattled leader's decision to enforce a state of emergency, which he later revoked after huge public protests demanded his resignation over the country's worst economic crisis.

Speaking in Parliament, Chief Government Whip Minister Johnston Fernando said the government will face this problem and there is no reason for the President to resign as he was elected to office.

Claiming that the Opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramunawas (JVP) party was behind the violence in the country, Fernando said that this "thug politics" should not be allowed and called on the people to end the violence.

He said that the government will continue to work to address the issues faced by the public at present, the Colombo Page portal reported.

The Government also defended the President's decision to enforce a state of emergency, that had given him sweeping authority to act in the interests of public security and preserving public order, including suspending any laws, authorising detentions and seizing property, saying it was declared after attempts were made to attack the President's Office and other public property.

With inputs from Reuters & PTI

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