A new cabinet for Sri Lanka is expected to be sworn in today after all the 26 ministers resigned with immediate effect on Sunday late at night. The mass resignation took place of the education minister, leader of house Dinesh Gunawardena, sports minister, and Presidents’ nephew, Namal Rajapaksa handed over their resignation to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The reason for mass resignation is not known.
The curfew lasted for 36 hours amid anti-government protests across the country over its economic crisis. The 36 hours long curfew was lifted on Monday morning. The country is still under a state of emergency effects which was declared on March 31 after an angry mob surrounded President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence. Over 600 people were arrested on Sunday in Sri Lanka’s western province for violating the curfew and trying to stage an anti-government rally. The people of Sri Lanka have been blaming Rajapaksa’s family for this economic crisis as the two brothers hold important posts of Prime minister and President.
Youth and Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, nephew of the Gotabaya and son of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa states that he has informed President’s secretary about his resignation with immediate effects.
The Sri Lankan central bank governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal resigned on Monday in the context of all cabinet ministers resigning.
The shortage of fuel continued to hit the Srilankans. People are waiting in long queues at the fuel-filling stations which are being guarded by security personnel amid massive protests in the country.The 36 hours curfew which was imposed amid anti-government protests across the country over the economic crisis has been lifted on Monday morning. The country is still under the effects of the state of emergency, which was declared after an angry mob surrounded the private residence of President Rajapaksa on March 31.
To pull the country out of crisis a caretaker cabinet should be appointed demands the government coalition parties. The resignation of the Cabinet appears to be an effort to pacify the people, who are protesting countrywide to hold the president and the entire Rajapaksa family responsible for the economic meltdown in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s political power is concentrated in the Rajapaksa family. In addition to brothers being president and prime minister, two other brothers are ministers of finance and irrigation. Namal was also a Cabinet minister until he resigned.
The new cabinet is expected to be sworn in today following the 26 minister’s resignation inspite of facing an economic crisis.
