Sri Lanka: PM Rajapaksa resigns amid clashes over worst economic crisis in country

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa announced his decision to resign on Monday amid the island country's worst economic crisis since independence. His resignation comes after he and his younger brother, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, refused to resign in the face of repeated calls.

On Sunday in the sacred city of Anuradhapura, Mahinda Rajapaksa, a prominent figure in the 'Rajapaksa clan,' faced massive public wrath. The citizens of the island country have been expressing their dissatisfaction with the current government by waiting in long lines for basic necessities such as food and medicine.

A disfigured portrait of Prime Minister Rajpaksa was also  seen at a protest site outside the president's office at Colombo

Earlier, several  media outlets of the island country  reported that the 72-year-old President had asked the Prime Minister to resign, but the PM denied. He stated that no such request was made and that he will not resign.

According to other reports, his younger brother wanted the Sri Lankan PM to resign but had not expressed his desire directly. Sri Lanka's President reportedly wants his brother's resignation so that he can form a government of national unity as a stopgap measure until the current economic crisis is resolved.

His resignation follows rounds of talks between the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and its constituent parties. The Cabinet was also dissolved as a result of the PM's departure. The influential Buddhist clergy had also pushed for the resignations of the prime minister and Cabinet in order to allow for an interim government.

Meanwhile,On Sunday, the Rajapaksa clan strongman, Mahinda Rajapaksa faced public wrath in the sacred city of Anuradhapura. The angry crowds on the streets hooted  and catcalled him, demanding fuel, cooking gas, and an end to power outages.

Moreover, The protesters have demanded the entire Rajapaksa family quit politics and return the alleged stolen assets.