Udaya Gammanpila, Minister of Energy stated that he only announced a decision taken by the entire government with the approval of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, with regard to the fuel price hike. Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila had called a special media briefing today (13) regarding the allegations leveled against him due to the decision to increase fuel prices. He added that the President as well as the Prime Minister had exchanged views with him regarding the incident and that the President had sent him a text message before convening this media briefing. Minister Udaya Gammanpila was responding to a statement issued by the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Sagara Kariyawasam yesterday which claimed that the Minister in charge of the subject should take full responsibility for the increase in fuel prices. "Sagara Kariyawasam is attacking not only himself but President of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa for using his letterhead," Gammanpila added. "Accordingly, the intelligent people of this country will decide whether myself or Sagara Kariyawasam should resign," said Minister Udaya Gammanpila. He said he would challenge Sagara Kariyawasam to name the senior ministers who participated in the party's central committee to take this decision.