New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated on Thursday that India has no role in facilitating the exit of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. In recent developments, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who had fled to the Maldives amid protests in crisis-hit Sri Lanka, on Thursday arrived in Singapore in a Saudia flight. Soon afterwards, he resigned as the President via an email sent to the Speaker.
Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We have categorically denied having any role or facilitating his (Gotabaya Rajapaksa)departure or his travel from Sri Lanka. I'm not in a position to guess where's he. I have seen media reports right now that he's in Singapore".
Also read:Sri Lanka declares emergency; thousands protest against new acting president
"We will continue to stand with the people of Sri Lanka, and their aspirations through democratic means and a constitutional framework", an MEA spokesperson said. Earlier, the Indian High Commission in Colombo categorically denied baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the reported travel of Gotabaya Rajapaksa out of Sri Lanka.
Reiterating its support to the people of Sri Lanka, the High Commission smashed a foreign propaganda report which claimed India's role in facilitating Rajapaksa's travel to the Maldives amid the ongoing crisis in the country. Meanwhile, Singapore Foreign Ministry confirmed that Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been allowed entry to Singapore on a private visit. "He has not asked for asylum and neither has he been granted any asylum. Singapore generally does not grant requests for asylum," Singapore's foreign ministry said, confirming he had landed.
