Troublesome undergrads to be taken to task

Dharma Sri ABEYRATNE

Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake said his Ministry would take tough action against extremists who ruin the peaceful atmosphere in universities.

Minister Dissanayake

Certain politically motivated extremist undergraduate groups, including JVP elements, are launching agitations and protests in universities aiming to destabilize the university system while misleading and harassing the university students.

Accordingly, strict disciplinary action would be taken against all who have committed various acts of indiscipline such as ragging and causing damage to state property.

According to the minister, the trouble makers are fighting a losing battle to retain their leadership in students organizations since they have understood that they have lost their popularity and dictatorship.

The students who lead these protests have been in universities for years without passing examinations. They have completely forgotten the reasons for a student to enter a university. Considering this situation, the studentship of students who failed all subjects at the first year will be terminated and they will be expelled from the universities, the minister noted.

No student can organise demonstrations or rallies against the university administration or the government. JVP's cats paw, the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF)is working on a political agenda. The IUSF's target is to sabotage the university administration and cause major unrest in the university system, Minister Dissanayake added.

"No student group is allowed to take over the university administration. The government has taken every possible step to offer the best university education," the minister further said.