'Your bastion has fallen': Former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya joins anti-Gotabaya stir

Jul 9, 2022 - 23:30

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'Your bastion has fallen': Former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya joins anti-Gotabaya stir

New Delhi: Former captain Sanath Jayasuriya on Saturday joined thousands of protesters in Colombo and demanded the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Angry citizens stormed Rajapaksa's residence and nearby office on Saturday in the biggest demonstration yet to vent their fury against a leader they hold responsible for the island nation's worst economic crisis.

I always stand with the People of Sri Lanka. And will celebrate victory soon. This should be continue without any violation. #Gohomegota #අරගලයටජය pic.twitter.com/q7AtqLObyn
— Sanath Jayasuriya (@Sanath07) July 9, 2022

"I always stand with the People of Sri Lanka. And will celebrate victory soon. This should be continued without any violation," the 53-year-old cricketer tweeted along with the pictures.

"The siege is over. Your bastion has fallen. Aragalaya and people power has won. Please have the dignity to resign now ! #GoHomeGota," Jayasuriya said in another tweet.

The siege is over. Your bastion has fallen. Aragalaya and peoples power has won. Please have the dignity to resign now ! #GoHomeGota
— Sanath Jayasuriya (@Sanath07) July 9, 2022

Commenting on the protest, Jayasurya tweeted, "in my entire life I have never seen the country united like this with one goal to throw out a failed leader."

In my entire life I have never seen the country United like this with one goal to throw out a failed Leader. The writing is now on YOUR official house WALL. Please go in peace. #GoHomeGota today! https://t.co/yXyCAu2Kht
— Sanath Jayasuriya (@Sanath07) July 9, 2022

Apart from Jayasurya, his former team-mates Kumara Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have also been vocal against Rajapaksa and have lent support to the agitation. Sangakkara took to his official Twitter account to post a video of the Sri Lankan protests to express support for it, a post that Jayawardene also retweeted.

While sharing the video, Sangakkara captioned the post, "This is for our future."

This is for our future. pic.twitter.com/pSMmo4o81Q
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) July 9, 2022

"We as a country have changed direction and nothing can change that 'people have spoken!! #GoHomeGota #peoplepower," tweeted Jayawardene.

We as a country has changed direction and nothing can change that… people have spoken!! #GoHomeGota #peoplepower https://t.co/ptmlrM5ewz
— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) July 8, 2022

Meanwhile, on the one hand President Rajapaksa's whereabouts are not known after he was moved out of his residence on Friday ahead of Saturday’s protests, on the other hand Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has agreed to resign after party leaders in Parliament demanded both he and the embattled president step down.

At least 30 people, including two policemen, were injured in clashes between security personnel and protesters – some of them holding Sri Lankan flags and helmets – who had gathered in large numbers in the Fort area, demanding President Rajapaksa’s resignation.

Dramatic visuals from outside Gotabaya Rajapakse’s residence showed a sea of demonstrators storming into the compound, tearing down security cordons placed by police, taking a dip in the swimming pool and romping through his kitchen and home.

With input from agencies