Did Rajapaksa fool Lanka? Sri Lanka Speaker doesn't receive any resignation from Gotabaya

Colombo, Jul 14: Amid the deteriorating political situation in the country, Sri Lanka Parliament Speaker Yapa Abeywardena on Thursday (Jul 13) said that he is yet to receive the resignation letter from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa along with his wife had escaped to the Maldives utilizing the President's executive powers.

 

 

 

According to the Sri Lanka Speaker's office, "The Speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament is yet to receive the Letter of Resignation from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa." 73-year-old Gotabaya Rajapaksa had gone into hiding after crowds of protesters stormed his residence on Jul 9 and had announced that he will hand over his resignation letter on Wednesday (Jul 13).

 

 

 

 

 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his wife along with two bodyguards have travelled to the Maldives after full approval of the country's Defence Ministry, on Wednesday (Jul 13). In a statement, the Sri Lankan Air Force also said that the move was done under the executive powers vested with the President.

 

 

Subsequently, he appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the interim President of Sri Lanka. Wickremesinghe declared an emergency and imposed a curfew in the western province of the country on July 13 as protesters came prepared to face tear gas shelling by security forces in the country.