Govt calls all-party meet on Sri Lanka crisis on July 19

New Delhi, July 17: The government has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday evening over the ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Sunday.

It will be briefed by Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and S Jaishankar. "On Tuesday, we are calling for another all-party meeting to brief on the Lankan crisis. We have requested Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to hold this briefing," ANI quoted Joshi as saying.

In a meeting of parties convened on Sunday ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Tamil Nadu-based DMK and AIADMK demanded India intervene in the neighbouring country which is facing a debilitating economic crisis.

During the Sunday meet, both DMK and AIADMK raised the Sri Lankan issue, especially the condition of the country's Tamil population. Talking to reporters after the meeting, NDA constituent DMK leader M Thambidurai said India should intervene to resolve the crisis in Sri Lanka.

Party leader TR Baalu also demanded India's intervention in addressing the situation confronting the island nation. Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades, with a severe foreign exchange shortage hampering the import of essentials including food, fuel and medicines. The economic crisis also sparked a political crisis in the country after a popular uprising against the government.

The foreign secretary is likely to make a presentation before the members on the situation in Lanka and the assistance that India has given in the past to the island nation, sources informed ANI. "The government is calling for suo motto meeting to address the concerns of several political parties, especially in Tamil Nadu as they are worried about the Sri Lankan crisis and the influx of refugees in the state," the sources said.

The monsoon session will begin on July 28 and is scheduled to continue till August 12. Earlier in the day, India assured Sri Lanka that it will continue to support democracy, stability and economic recovery in the country, which is at a crucial juncture, amid the unprecedented political crisis and economic turmoil

The assurance was given to Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena by India's High Commissioner Gopal Baglay when he called on the Sri Lankan leader. The meeting took place a day after Speaker Abeywardena accepted the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades, with a severe foreign exchange shortage hampering the import of essentials including food, fuel and medicines. The economic crisis also sparked a political crisis in the country after a popular uprising against the government forced Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign as president.