Sri Lanka arrests ex-leader’s son over anti-India protest
Sri Lankan police on Wednesday arrested the legislator son of a former president for leading violent antiIndia demonstrations over alleged plans to sell an airport built and named after his father. A police spokesman said MP Namal Rajapakse was arrested for being a member of an unlawful assembly outside the Indian consulate in the southern town of Hambantota on Friday.
Police Superintendent Ruwan Gunasekera said Rajapakse, the eldest son of former leader Mahinda Rajapakse, had violated a court order banning street protests and damaged public property. "He was arrested along with two other members of parliament and three others," Gunasekera said. Police arrested 28 people after the protest. Video footage of the demonstration released on social media showed Rajapakse cha nting anti-India slogans at Hambantota, 240 kilometres (150 miles) south of Colombo, and leading a march towards the consulate. Rajapakse accused the government of trying to sell the airport named after his father to an Indian company at a rock bottom price. Hundreds of protesters tried to break through barricades but police fired teargas and water cannon to stop them reaching the diplomatic compound. At least four policemen were injured when the demonstrators pelted stones, reports AFP.
The government has denied it was planning to sell off the USD 210 million international airport, but Colombo has said Indian companies had shown interest in a joint venture to make the facility commercially viable.