Lanka Minister Lauds PM Modi For Helping Country During Economic Crisis

Sri Lanka is battling a severe economic crisis with food and fuel scarcity affecting a large number of the people in the island nation. The economy has been in a free-fall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Former Sri Lanka cricketer and Minister Arjuna Ranatunga on Wednesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping Sri Lanka amid its ongoing economic crisis.

Sri Lanka is battling a severe economic crisis with food and fuel scarcity affecting a large number of the people in the island nation. The economy has been in a free-fall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"PM Modi was very generous to give the grant to start Jaffna International Airport. India has been an elder brother to us. I am glad that they are monitoring the situation rather than giving money to Sri Lanka. They are looking at our needs like petrol and medicines and I am sure that these are things we will be lacking in a couple of months. India has been helping us in a big way," Arjuna Ranatunga told the media.

"My major worry is that I don't want a blood bath. I am very scared and don't want people to start another war, which we suffered for years. Some of the politicians in the government are trying to show that the disease was created by Tamils and Muslims and by doing this they are trying to divide the country," he added.