Sri Lanka crisis deepens as 26 ministers resign late night

Sri Lanka is facing the biggest economic crisis since independence. Emergency has been imposed in the country amid growing protests. Meanwhile, late on Sunday night, Sri Lanka's cabinet members have resigned en masse from their positions, other than President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his elder brother Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

All 26 ministers stepped down with immediate effect during a late-night meeting on Sunday, Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told reporters. He told that except President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, all the ministers submitted their resignations to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. 

However, he has not given any reason for this mass resignation of the cabinet. The demand for the formation of an all-party caretaker government has started gaining momentum to help Sri Lanka, which is facing economic crisis, to get out of this problem.

Read | From sugar to rice, check skyrocketing food prices in Sri Lanka amid economic crisis

Sri Lanka is facing the worst economic crisis in its history. For the past several weeks, the people of the country are facing shortage of essential commodities along with standing in long queues for fuel and cooking gas.

President Gotabayo Rajapaksa issued a special gazette notification late on Friday night, imposing a state of emergency in Sri Lanka with immediate effect from April 1. The government has announced a nationwide curfew from 6 pm on Saturday to 6 am on Monday.

PM's son Namal Rajapaksa first to resign

Before the resignation of the cabinet, the country's Sports Minister and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa's son Namal Rajapaksa had resigned from all his departments. About an hour later, other ministers tendered their resignations.

The letter of resignation of the cabinet is now with the PM, which will be handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. It is being told that a new cabinet will be formed in the coming days. Opposition MP Harsha de Silva said, "We will defend democracy in Sri Lanka."

Opposition lawmakers marched to Colombo's Independence Square, raising slogans and showing placards that read, "Stop the repression" and "Gota go home". Police officers put up barricades on the roads leading to the square. This square was built in the memory of the independence of Sri Lanka in 1948.

More than 650 arrested for protesting

Earlier in the capital Colombo on Sunday, more than 650 people were arrested for protesting against the government. These people were taking out a march against the government by breaking the curfew in protest against the economic crisis.

Ban on social media platforms

All social media platforms have also been banned in Sri Lanka. Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram went out of service in the country on Sunday. Internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks gave this information. On the other hand, army and police personnel are guarding every corner in the capital Colombo, so that the atmosphere does not deteriorate.

India extended a helping hand

India is providing help to Sri Lanka, which is facing its worst economic crisis. India had sent an oil tanker to help Sri Lanka battling fuel crisis, which reached Sri Lanka on Saturday. Now India is preparing to send a consignment of 40 thousand tonnes of rice to Sri Lanka.

India will send at least 300,000 tonnes of rice to Sri Lanka in 2022. This will increase the supply in Sri Lanka, which may bring down prices in the country.