Sri Lanka not averse to using Indian rupee as common currency: President Wickremesinghe
Colombo (PTI): Sri Lanka would want to see the Indian rupee used as much as the US dollar, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, days ahead of his first official visit to New Delhi.
Wickremesinghe, also the cash-strapped country's finance minister, made this remark while addressing the Indian CEO Forum here this week.
"Just as East Asia, including countries like Japan, Korea and China, witnessed significant growth 75 years ago, it is now India's turn, along with the Indian Ocean region," Wickremesinghe said.
Wickremesinghe is expected to visit New Delhi next week, his first since becoming president a year ago amidst unprecedented economic and political turmoil in the island nation.
Wickremesinghe's comments were in response to the chair of the Forum, T S Prakash, who in his address had called for the enhanced use of the Indian rupee in the Sri Lankan economy.
"It makes no difference to us if India (the Indian rupee) becomes a common currency. We will have to figure out how to go about it. We must become more open to the outside world", Wickremesinghe said.
"The world is evolving and India is undergoing rapid development, particularly under Prime Minister Modi's leadership", he added.
He also said that Sri Lanka benefits from its proximity to India, coupled with a rich history, cultural heritage and longstanding trading relationships spanning 2,500 years, The Daily Mirror newspaper quoted him as saying.
Wickremesinghe has steered the island nation out of the economic crisis and said the economy is recovering despite its slowness.
"Once we complete debt restructuring our focus will shift towards a comprehensive growth agenda. This entails a massive overhaul of our economy, legal framework and systems aligning our path with that of India," he said. Wickremesinghe
The 74-year-old Sri Lankan politician was elected through parliament to fill in the rest of the term of the ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka-India relationship history points to that it was unusual that Wickremesinghe's tour to Delhi had taken a year to happen, analysts noted.
India had thrown a lifeline to the last days of the Rajapaksa presidency with an economic assistance package that amounted to 4 billion dollars.
Sri Lanka used the Indian credit lines to import essentials and fuel as the country was gripped in forex shortages which triggered massive street protests.
Meanwhile, the High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka Gopal Bagle who was at the July 13 event, said that the Indian government and the Indian business community have helped the island nation in recuperating from the last year's financial crisis.
"Even during the initial crisis, Indian businessmen began doing business in Sri Lanka to demonstrate to the rest of the world that the country's financial status is stable," Bagle was quoted as saying by the Sri Lankan media.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Vaishno Devi ropeway row: Two detained in fresh protest, FIR against eight
Katra/Jammu (PTI): Two representatives of labourers and shopkeepers in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district were on Wednesday detained after fresh protests at the Katra base camp against a proposed ropeway project along the trek route to the Vaishno Devi shrine.
According to police, an FIR was registered against eight people on Tuesday, a day after violent protests in Katra in which a policeman got injured.
Protestors, led by Bhupinder Singh and Sohan Chand, took out a rally against the proposed ropeway project.
However, officials said the police stopped the protestors from moving ahead, resulting in clashes between them.
Singh and Chand were detained and taken away from the spot in a police vehicle, they said, adding that the protestors were also dispersed from the scene.
Udhampur DIG (Reasi range) Rayees Bhat said the detainees were not arrested.
The demonstration was triggered following the registration of an FIR in the Monday clash.
According to the FIR, a police team was performing law and order duty at Fountain Chowk, Katra, in view of the ongoing protests against the installation of the ropeway at Tarakote in Katra by the Shrine Board.
During the demonstration, the protestors wrongfully blocked the road, obstructing vehicular movement and causing hindrance to the free passage of yatris, it said.
Following this, Bhupinder Singh Jamwal alias Pinku Miya, Sohan Chand and Maqbool among others were booked for provocation and instigating violence.
They assaulted the on-duty police party unexpectedly with fists and blows and also attempted to harm the policemen using bricks, stones, and weapons, the police alleged in their FIR.
They also tore the uniforms of police officers and officials. Station house officer (SHO) Katra and other on-duty officials sustained injuries in the Monday clash and were shifted to community health centre Katra for medical treatment, it said.
The protestors and attackers also damaged some vehicles at Fountain Chowk on the abetment of the “protest leaders”, the FIR read.
They also pelted stones and bricks at the general public and yatris, thus endangering their lives, it said.
The strike was called off after the district administration assured the protestors of holding talks with different stakeholders, including Shrine Board officials, to address their concerns.
Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the genuine concerns of the people protesting against the proposed ropeway project would be addressed.
Deputy Commissioner Reasi Vishesh Paul Mahajan and protest leader Bhupinder Singh jointly announced the strike's suspension.
"I have held talks with Bhupinder. We are aware of your demands and concerns. Bhupinder has given time till December 15 to hold talks with all stakeholders to resolve the issues," Mahajan said while addressing the protesters on Monday.
