COLOMBO: In Sri Lanka, tens of thousands of people took to streets in the middle of the night in violation of curfew, demanding resignation of the country’s president and prime minister. The protesters surrounded the residences of MPs and ministers and set fire to former Minister Roshan Ranasinghe’s house.

The police and protesters have reportedly clashed in many places. The protest staged by around 2,000 people, at the prime minister’s residence in Tangalle, turned violent. Conflicts erupted as the protesters smashed barricades and attempted to storm into the prime minister’s residence. The police used tear gas and water cannons against the protesters. Numerous people have been arrested.

Meantime, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa remain adamant in their stance not to resign. The president has been trying to hold on by forming an all-party government. However, his move faced severe setback as the opposition refused to join the all-party government.

Let the people decide the new government through elections said the United People Force (SJB), the country’s largest opposition party. An emergency cabinet meeting was held on Sunday midnight to form a coalition government. Following which, 26 ministers except Mahinda Rajapaksa had resigned altogether.