The demonstration by farmers from across the country wearing loin clothes continued there, and later, they went to hand over a petition to the prime minister.

However, the PM did not make an appearance, and in his place, a coordinating secretary came to accept the protest letter, lankatruth.com website reports.

The farmers refused to hand over their petition, or talk, to him.

Then, the secretary to the prime minister came to the scene, and said he couldn’t tell them what the PM’s answer would be to their demands.

The protesters also rejected the PM’s secretary and set fire to the letter they had intended to hand over to the PM.

National organizer of the Lanka Farmers’ Association Namal Karunaratne said they would return to Colombo another day and stage a protest in front of Temple Trees, parliament or president’s house until their demands are met.