Colombo : Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard next to burnt buses a day after clashes between government supporters and anti-government protesters in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Defying a nationwide curfew in Sri Lanka, several hundred protesters continued to chant slogans against the government Tuesday, a day after violent clashes saw the resignation of the prime minister who is blamed, along with his brother, the president, for leading the country into its worst economic crisis in decades. AP/PTI
Colombo, May 10 (PTI) Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker on Tuesday requested embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to reconvene the House this week to discuss the current situation amid unprecedented violence and widespread protest against the government over the country' worst economic crisis in decades.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeyawardene said he had telephoned President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with his request.
Parliamentary officials said the President will be required to reconvene Parliament ahead of its scheduled date of May 17 as there is no Prime Minister and a government currently.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76, resigned as Sri Lankan Prime Minister on Monday amid unprecedented economic turmoil, hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, prompting authorities to impose a nationwide curfew and deploy Army troops in the capital.
Mahinda Rajapaksa is facing calls for his arrest from Opposition politicians for inciting violence against peaceful anti-government protesters that claimed at least eight lives, left over 200 people injured and saw arson attacks on the homes of several politicians.
Presidential sources said Gotabaya Rajapaksa is to meet with the leaders of political parties represented in Parliament in order to set up a government. Speaker Abeyawardene also said he himself had conveyed a meeting of party leaders to discuss the business of House for its reconvening.
Police chief Chandana Wickremaratne said he had ordered the crime division to investigate Monday's attack on the peaceful protesters by pro Rajapaksa gang. A statement said that a thorough investigation would be conducted to arrest all those involved in the attack.
The Attorney General has also written to the police chief to conduct an investigation.
Meanwhile, Mahinda Rajapaksa left his Temple Trees residence early this morning even as a mob tried to enter the premises. Throughout the night the police fired tear gas to quell mobs entering Temple Trees.
A mob has now surrounded the Naval headquarters in the eastern port town of Trincomalee demanding Mahinda Rajapaksa be put out of the complex. His whereabouts were not known, SLPP sources said.
A group of lawyers lodged a complaint with the police headquarters to arrest Mahinda Rajapaksa and his colleagues who had allegedly instigated Monday's violence against peaceful anti-government protesters.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency with effect from Friday midnight. This is the second time that an emergency was declared in Sri Lanka in just over a month as the island nation was in the grip of the worst economic crisis.
