India has responsibility to help Sri Lanka, says Farooq Abdullah after all-party meet

By Payal Mehta
New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI): Noting that Sri Lanka is "dying" as a nation amid the ongoing economic crisis in the island country, J-K National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that India has a responsibility to help them and added that we "will have to fulfil" that onus.
The NC leader also said that India will have to strike a balance between extending help to Sri Lanka and also "saving our own country".
The remarks of Abdullah came after attending an all-party meet convened by the Centre over the situation in Sri Lanka.
"The nation is dying. How do we save the nation and the people? The common man is suffering. Medicines and food are not there. The whole country is in turmoil. How can India help because it is also a member of the IMF? What will India do when it goes to the IMF? That's the question. We should think about how can we save that nation," Abdullah said while speaking to the reporters.
"The government briefed us about the situation in Sri Lanka and about their loans. There are many Sri Lankan citizens who are living in Tamil Nadu since the crisis began in Sri Lanka. The question is how much can we bear because we also have our own problems. The question is also how can we extend them help while also saving our own country. All of us said that India is a large nation and the nearest nation to Sri Lanka. It is our responsibility to help them. India will have to fulfil that responsibility," he added.
When asked about the response of the government over the situation in India, the NC leader said that the Finance Secretary has called our reserves "better".
"Finance Secretary said that our condition is not bad and our reserves are better. China's debt trap is not the only concern for (Sri Lanka). They have taken money from many places. They don't have any option other than IMF. I hope India will help it out in that. We should forget the old things and should look to move forward," Abdullah said.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties objected to the mention of the financial condition of the Indian states during the meeting on Sri Lanka, according to the sources.
"We strongly objected to the mention of state borrowings. Why bring politics into this? The BJP office, through its political motives, has highlighted the Telangana fiscal issues," said the TRS sources. (ANI)