'You Sold Everything To China': Lankan Traders To Embattled PM

Food vendors in Sri Lanka are accusing the Rajapaksa government of selling everything to China adding that the country has nothing and it had bought everything from other countries on credit.

Prices of fruits and vegetables are skyrocketing in Sri Lanka amid economic and political crises. A fruit vendor, Farukh says, "3 to 4 months back apple was sold at Rs 500 per kg, now it is Rs 1000 per kg. The pear was sold at Rs 700 per kg earlier, now it is sold at Rs 1500 per kg. People don't have money."

He added, "Sri Lankan government sold everything to China. That is the biggest problem. Sri Lanka has no money as it has sold everything to China. It is buying everything on credit from other countries."

They expressed their dissatisfaction and anger saying that the prices are going up each day and they do not have any cash left with them. Another food vendor, Raja said, "There is no business. Gotabaya is of no good and he needs to leave."

Amid the unprecedented economic crisis in Sri Lanka, the leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa has called for abolishing the Executive Presidential system.

"For nearly 20 years every leader promised to abolish the Executive Presidency but only strengthened it," Premadasa said in a strongly-worded speech in parliament on Tuesday reminding the Parliamentarians about the necessity to introduce a new electoral system. Meanwhile, newly-appointed Finance Minister Ali Sabry has resigned on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka is battling a severe economic crisis with food and fuel scarcity affecting a large number of the people in the island nation. The economy has been in a free-fall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sri Lanka is also facing a foreign exchange shortage, which has, incidentally, affected its capacity to import food and fuel, leading to the power cuts in the country. The shortage of essential goods forced Sri Lanka to seek assistance from friendly countries.

On Sunday, 26-member Sri Lankan Cabinet Ministers submitted resignations amid rising public anger against the government over the economic crisis.

Meanwhile, the 36-hour long curfew that was imposed on Sri Lanka on Saturday evening at 6 pm was lifted on Monday morning at 6 am but the country is still under a state of emergency.

Earlier on Saturday, India delivered 40,000 MT of diesel to Sri Lanka to help ease the power crisis in the island country. As part of the US 500 million oil line of credit (LoC) extended by India to Sri Lanka, this was the fourth consignment of fuel delivered to Colombo.

Further, India has supplied around 200,000 MT of fuel to the island nation over the last 50 days.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)