Sri Lanka’s former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa tried to flee the crisis-hit nation on Monday evening, however was thwarted by airport officers and passengers who acknowledged him and blocked his approach.
The island has practically exhausted its already scarce provides of petrol. The authorities has ordered the closure of non-essential places of work and colleges to scale back commuting and save gasoline.
Basil, who additionally occurs to be the youthful brother of embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, missed his flight to Dubai after passengers protested towards him when he tried to board the aircraft departing from the worldwide airport in Colombo.
Videos shared on social media, whose veracity India Today couldn’t independently confirm, confirmed passengers objecting to Basil Rajapaksa’s presence on the airport and demanding that he not be allowed to depart the nation.
Basil Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s former finance minister was denied by passengers & immigration employees to depart the nation for Dubai. Brother of Mahinda & Gotabaya additionally holds an American passport. pic.twitter.com/8PKpWMywAN
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) July 12, 2022
The Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers Association mentioned its members declined to serve the previous minister on the VIP departure lounge. Images shared broadly on Twitter confirmed Basil Rajapaksa ready within the lounge after immigration officers left their posts and refused to clear him for departure.
Image shared on social media reveals immigration officers at Colombo airport refusing to clear Basil Rajapaksa.
Speculations are rife that Rajapaksa was trying to make his solution to the United States, as he holds an American passport additionally. Top sources within the ruling celebration instructed Reuters that he’s nonetheless in Sri Lanka after his bid to flee was foiled early on Tuesday.
Basil Rajapaksa, 71, resigned as finance minister in early April as avenue protests surged towards shortages of gasoline, meals and different requirements. He give up his seat in parliament in June.
Public anger is excessive towards Sri Lanka’s highly effective ruling household resulting from their alleged poor dealing with of the financial meltdown. The Rajapaksa clan, together with former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and outgoing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has dominated the politics of the island nation for years and most Sri Lankans have blamed them for his or her present distress.
The financial woes triggered nationwide protests in March this yr, which reached a climax final weekend as protesters stormed the presidential palace and Prime Minister’s Ranil Wickremesinghe’s residence, vowing to occupy each locations until the 2 leaders step down.
(With inputs from Ashutosh Mishra, Pramod Madhav and Agencies)
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