Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa must take responsibility for the issues faced by the nation, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament today.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka would not have faced a crisis if the Opposition Leader had assumed duties as the Prime Minister on April 10, 2022.

“I think we better have a debate in Parliament over these matters. There are various opinions. If he had taken up the premiership on April 10, none of these issues would have cropped up. I performed to my capacity,” the President further said.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made the remarks in response to clarifications raised by MP Premadasa on the President’s special statement delivered in Parliament today.

However, when the Opposition Leader took to responding to the President, the latter was seen leaving the Parliament.

MP Premadasa then questioned why the President was leaving Parliament without responding to his questions.

“Are you afraid? Can you not answer the questions? Why isn’t he answering? I listened to the President’s statement. Why is he not answering our questions?,” he questioned from the Speaker.

Stating that the Opposition had patiently listened to the President’s speech, MP Premadasa questioned why the President could not spare time to respond to the clarifications raised by the Opposition Leader.