Sri Lanka government says President won't resign under any circumstances

Colombo: Amid growing demand that the President Gotabaya Rajapaksha resign, Sri Lankan Government on Wednesday said that the President will not resign under any circumstances and will face the current issues.

The government also stood by the beleaguered President's decision to enforce a state of emergency, but he later revoked it following huge public protests demanded his resignation over the country's worst economic crisis.

Speaking in Parliament, Chief Government Whip Minister Johnston Fernando said the government will face this problem and there is no reason for the President to resign as he was elected to office.

Blaming the Opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramunawas (JVP) party for the violence in the country, Fernando said that this "thug politics" should not be allowed and called on the people to end the violence.

Fernando said that the government will continue to work to address the issues faced by the public at present, the Colombo Page portal reported.

The Government also defended the President's decision to enforce a state of emergency, that had given him sweeping authority to act in the interests of public security and preserving public order, including suspending any laws, authorising detentions and seizing property, saying it was declared after attempts were made to attack the President's Office and other public property.

Rajapaksa had declared the emergency last week after protesters demonstrated near his home in Colombo. The public outcry started when people experienced shortages of essentials including cooking gas, petrol, electricity and milk powder, but by now the protests have spread across the country and the demonstrators are demanding the resignation of Rajapaksa and his government.

The president and his older brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, continue to hold power in Sri Lanka, despite their politically powerful family being the main target of popular indignation.

(Based on PTI feed)