Sri Lanka's embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would resign on Wednesday, Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said late Saturday night, hours after thousands of protesters stormed his official residence, blaming him for an unprecedented economic crisis that has brought the country to its knees.The party leaders had demanded the immediate resignation of President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to make way for Abeywardena to become acting president until Parliament appointed a successor.
At least 30 people, including two policemen, were injured in clashes between security personnel and protesters on Saturday. Protestors were holding Sri Lankan flags and helmets and had gathered in large numbers in the Fort area, demanding President Rajapaksa's resignation.As the angry protestors set ablaze the private house of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, several ministers including opposition leaders condemned the incident and appealed to the protestors to stop the violence. Sajith Premadasa, opposition leader, denounced the barbaric arson attack on Prime Minister's residence. "This is not the way that problems are solved in civilized democracies. There’s no excuse for violence or burning down houses. My thoughts are with the Prime Minister and his wife Maithri at this difficult time," Colombo Gazette quoted Premadasa as saying.Wickremesinghe, 73, has already expressed his willingness to resign. But an angry mob did not spare his private home here and set it on fire.Rajapaksa, 73, responded to the Speaker's letter, saying he would quit on July 13. Rajapaksa became Sri Lankan President in November 2020.