Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. File photoNEW DELHI, Jul 9Sri Lankan party leaders, meeting on Saturday for an emergency meeting in response to protests in Colombo, called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to submit his resignation, Newswire reported.» party leaders chaired by the Speaker decided that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should submit his resignation,» the newspaper reported. Earlier, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe convened an emergency meeting of party leaders in connection with the ongoing protests in the capital, the Prime Minister's office said . In turn, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he was ready to abide by any decision taken at a meeting of party leaders of the country. On Saturday, thousands of protests engulfed the capital of Sri Lanka. Instead of the peaceful march planned for that day, the protesters broke through the police barriers and seized the presidential palace. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was reportedly evacuated shortly before protesters surrounded his residence.According to doctors, at least 33 people were injured as a result of protests, including two policemen.Sri Lanka is experiencing the worst economic crisis since the country gained independence in 1948. The coronavirus pandemic has hit the tourism sector, a key source of foreign exchange, leaving Sri Lanka unable to buy enough fuel. There is a shortage of food, basic necessities, medicines and gas in the country. Many parts of Sri Lanka are facing constant power outages due to lack of fuel. At the same time, the external debt of the island state is estimated at $51 billion.
