Sri Lankan official quits days after claiming PM Modi pushed Adani deal

A top Sri Lankan official has resigned after he alleged that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi insisted that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa award an energy project to Indian industrialist Gautam Adani.

MMC Ferdinando was the chairman of state-owned power entity Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) till his resignation was accepted, energy minister Kanchana Wijesekara confirmed on Monday.

Speaking to a parliamentary panel on Friday, Ferdinando claimed that President Rajapaksa told him in November that a wind power project was to be awarded to the Adani Group after PM Modi insisted upon it.

Rajapaksa has, however, denied Ferdinando's statement. In a tweet he said, 'I categorically deny authorisation to award this project to any specific person or entity'.

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On Sunday, Ferdinando retracted his statement saying that he had said everything under stress and denied being influenced by either President Rajapaksa or the Indian High Commission to withdraw it.

Government of India has not commented on the issue yet.

Adani Group, on the other hand, said in a statement 'Our intent in investing in Sri Lanka is to address the needs of a valued neighbour. As a responsible corporate, we see this as a necessary part of the partnership that our two nations have always shared'.

'We are clearly disappointed by the detraction that seems to have come about. The fact is that the issue has already been addressed by and within the Sri Lankan Government,' a Spokesperson of the Adani Group said in the statement.