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Updated July 21st, 2022 at 22:38 IST

India rubbishes rumours of helping Ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee Sri Lanka

Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka termed the rumours of helping Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country, as baseless.

Reported by: Abhishek Raval
Sri Lanka
IMAGE: ANI | Image:self
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Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka termed the rumours of India helping former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country, as baseless. In a shocking development, former 73-year-old Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country on July 13 and reached Maldives and then Singapore as the uprising hit the island nation, wherein protesters also barged into the presidential palace and also occupied important government offices.

"These rumours are completely baseless. Decision that then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took was his own. We have nothing to do with that decision or its implementation," said India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. 

Singapore gives short-term visit pass to Gotabaya Rajapaksa

A day after the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new president of Sri Lanka, Singapore granted a 14-day short-term visit pass to former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa as he entered the country on a "private visit" on July 14, as per the immigration authorities, according to a report by the The Straits Times newspaper.

Sri Lankans in Singapore skipping meals to send money back home 

In view of the uncertain economic and political situation in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankans in Singapore are doing all they can to save money and remit it back home. They feel the real change will come when the voters are more engaged and the policies framed can bring real change on the ground. The Singaporean Sri Lankans opined that just changing the leadership will not change the situation, Channel News Asia reported as it interviewed several Sri Lankans in the country.

Some Singapore citizens of Sri Lankan origin are skipping meals to save money and send it back home amid the economic crisis. Some are shipping bicycles as it is very difficult to travel in the country, one Sri Lankan told the Channel.

“People are using bikes as a mode of transport and we have a shortage of bikes (back home) because we have only two manufacturers (in the country)," said Samira Peiris, an engineer, who had recently moved to Singapore to work.

Image: ANI

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Published July 21st, 2022 at 22:38 IST

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