Centre Calls All-party Meeting on Sri Lanka Next Week; Jaishankar, Sitharaman to Brief

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The move comes on a day when Sri Lanka’s protest movement reached its 100th day having forced one president from office and now turning its sights on his successor as the country’s economic crisis continues

The Centre has called an all-party meeting next week to discuss the Sri Lanka crisis. Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said the meeting – which will be held on July 19 – will be under EAM S. Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

“The Government has called another all-party meeting under EAM Dr S Jaishankar and FM Sitharaman on the current crisis in Sri Lanka, to be held on Tuesday (19th July),” Joshi told reporters.

Tamil Nadu-based DMK and AIADMK – during an all-party meeting convened ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament – demanded that India should intervene in the crisis surrounding the island nation.

Both DMK and AIADMK raised the Sri Lankan issue, especially the condition of the country’s Tamil population.

AIADMK leader M Thambidurai told reporters that India should intervene to resolve the crisis in Sri Lanka. DMK leader TR Baalu also demanded India’s intervention in addressing the Sri Lanka turmoil.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s protest movement reached its 100th day on Sunday having forced one president from office and now turning its sights on his successor as the country’s economic crisis continues.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his palace shortly before demonstrators invaded it last weekend and on Thursday resigned from the presidency. His mismanagement is blamed for Sri Lanka’s financial turmoil, which has forced its 22 million people to endure shortages of food, fuel and medicines since late last year.

The campaign to oust Rajapaksa, organised mainly through posts on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, drew people from across Sri Lanka’s often unbridgeable ethnic divides.

India has been the principal source of foreign assistance to Sri Lanka this year. India has assured Sri Lanka that it will continue to support democracy, stability and economic recovery in the country.

The island nation off the tip of southeast India needs about USD 5 billion in the next six months to cover basic necessities for its 22 million people, who have been struggling with long queues, worsening shortages and power cuts.

(With agency inputs)

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