India Refutes Reports Of Sending Troops To Sri Lanka; Sri Lankan Army Assure Protesters No Repression

In light of the unrest there, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka refuted rumours that New Delhi was sending troops there.

Since Saturday, Sri Lanka has been in a state of upheaval as angry protestors seeking the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for allegedly causing the country’s economic collapse broke into the presidential residence in Fort.

The High Commission wishes to firmly refute speculative claims that India is sending troops to Sri Lanka that have appeared in some media outlets and on social media. According to the Indian High Commission, these stories and these points of view are likewise inconsistent with the official stance of the Indian government.

This was followed by the statement that India “stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realise their ambitions for prosperity and advancement via democratic means and ideals, established institutions, and a constitutional framework.”

The Union Ministry of External Affairs stated that India “stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they pursue prosperity and growth via democratic means and constitutional framework and continues to follow the development in the island republic.”

The demonstrators are still in control of the president of Sri Lanka’s official house.

Both the prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the president Gotabaya Rajapaksa decided to step down on Saturday. On Saturday, protesters set the latter’s home on fire.

Thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Colombo on Saturday last week in one of the city’s biggest demonstrations, calling for Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down.

The Sri Lankan army chief also gave the protesters the assurance that the army will not interfere with the demonstrations. No attempt has been made to harm or disturb “the Aragala Bhumiya,” notwithstanding what is erroneously spreading in social media right now. The spokesperson for the Sri Lankan military ministry stated that General Shavendra Silva, the country’s chief of defence staff, strongly refutes the incorrect report.

Avoid panicking and carry on with your non-violent, non-combative effort, advised Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.

In the meantime, Sri Lankans nationwide continue to experience food and gasoline shortages. The worst economic crisis since 1948 is a result of declining foreign exchange reserves, fuel supplies, and basic goods like food and medicine.

More than 6.26 million Sri Lankans, or three out of every ten households, are unsure of where their next meal will come from, according to the UN organisation World Food Programme (WFP).