Baseless, speculative: India denies reports that it helped Sri Lanka President flee to Maldives

Hours after Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country with his wife amid widespread protests sparked a crippling economic crisis, India on Wednesday categorically denied “baseless and speculative” media reports that it facilitated the unpopular leader’s movement to the Maldives.
The 73-year-old President, who has vowed to step down from the top post, escaped the country on a military jet with his wife and two security officials on Wednesday morning, news agency PTI reported.

High Commission categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel of @gotabayar @Realbrajapaksa out of Sri Lanka. It is reiterated that India will continue to support the people of Sri Lanka (1/2)
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) July 13, 2022
“The High Commission categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel of (President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) out of Sri Lanka,” the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka tweeted. “It is reiterated that India will continue to support the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realise their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means and values , established democratic institutions and constitutional framework.”
The island nation has witnessed widespread protests over the last few months due to an economic crisis spurred an acute shortage of foreign exchange, that has left the country in dire need of essential imports, including food, fuel and medicines.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Sri Lankan Air Force said that under the provisions of the Constitution and on a request the government it provided a plane to fly the president, his wife and two security officials to the Maldives.
“On government request and in terms of powers available to a President under the Constitution, with complete approval from the minry of defence, the President, his wife and two security officials were provided a Sri Lanka Air Force plane to depart from the Katunayake international airport for the Maldives in the early hours of July 13,” an official announced.
On Saturday, Rajapaksa announced that he would soon resign after thousands of protestors stormed his official residence.
(With PTI inputs)