President wants IGP to draw up plan to combat ragging

President Maithripala Sirisena said he has directed the IGP to draw up a practical plan in association with the University administration to eradicate inhuman ragging in universities carried out by a minority student group disrupting the education of a majority of disciplined and law abiding students.

He said the Government is duty bound to safeguard the future of university students and as such it would fulfill that duty and responsibility without let or hindrance. He said no room can be left in universities for cruelty or the law of the jungle to reign supreme.

The President said this addressing the gathering at the 75th anniversary celebrations held at the Mathugama Ananda Shastralaya on February 22 morning.

The President said the torture of Peradeniya University first year agriculture faculty students carried out recently was a tragedy in the free education system.

Incidents of this nature harmed the honour and reputation of universities which produced intellectuals and men and women of learning. There were several black marks of ragging which had occurred in the history of our universities which dated back to 40 to 50 years. Children should not try to transform the sigh of relief made by parents of students entering universities into a tears of sorrow.

When schools in the Colombo City were transformed into British Military Camps during the Second World War the Mathugama Ananda Shastralaya was started on February 23, 1942 as a branch of the Kotte Ananda Shastralaya.

He also acclaimed the valuable history of the school which had produced a large number of local and foreign intellectuals throughout its golden history.

The President also unveiled a statue of the school’s founder late Finance and Justice Deputy Minister Daya T Pasqual at the school premises.

The President also opened the schools new Technological Laboratory. A lacquer painted portrait of the President drawn by a student was also presented as a memento to the President by the student concerned on this occasion.

Ministers Mahinda Samarasinghe and Dr Rajitha Seneviratne, Deputy Minister Palitha Thevarapperuma, Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama and Principal Randun Jayalath were also present in the occasion.