Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today slammed the government for blaming him for its mistakes, adding that he can run the country if he is asked to do so.

Rajapaksa made this observation after the hearing of his son Yoshitha's bail application, when a journalist asked about the foreign loans obtained by his government.

It was pointed out that the present government was blaming him for the loans that he had obtained. The government claims that it cannot do anything since its income is sufficient only to pay the interests of the loans, the journalist pointed out.

"What are we supposed to do?" Rajapaksa asked. "If I am given the opportunity, I'll run the country"

The government recently claimed that it has unearthed details of some previously unknown foreign loans obtained by the Rajapaksa government.