Sri Lanka arrests ex-president’s son for protesting sale of international airport that serves one flight a day
Namal Rajapaksa accused the government of trying to sell the airport named after his father to an Indian company at a rock bottom price
Sri Lankan police arrested the legislator son of a former president for leading violent anti-India demonstrations over alleged plans to sell an airport built and named after his father.
A police spokesman said MP Namal Rajapaksa was arrested Tuesday 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 Rajapaksa, the eldest son of former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, 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 Rajapaksa chanting anti-India slogans at Hambantota, 240 kilometres south of Colombo, and leading a march towards the consulate.
Rajapaksa accused the government of trying to sell the airport named after his father to an Indian company at a rock bottom price.