President Maithripala Sirisena takes a firm stance on ragging

Colombo (News1st): Speaking in Polonnaruwa on Friday (September 07), President Maithripala Sirisena said he instructed the Police to take strict action against those who are guilty of hazing or ragging new university students. President Sirisena said politically influenced villains have taken over the university system. He added that Sri Lanka is the only country where the president or ministers are now allowed to enter some universities. The President stated that a beautiful auditorium was built at the Ruhunu University by the Indian Government and he was asked to declare this open this three months ago, but the students who kill, abuse, sexually harass university students, had gone to the Indian High Commission and handed over an epistle requesting them not to let the President attend the event. The Head of State added that the students are being controlled by the frontliners.  Returning to the subject of ragging, the President described it as inhumane and uncivilized and called for the creation of stringent laws that would severely punish those who engage in ragging. President Sirisena also noted that the time has come to implement recommendations put forward by late Richard Pathirana and the law was not enacted all this time. The President made this statement while attending an event to lay the foundation stone for the National Vocational Training building in Hingurakgoda, Polonnaruwa. The project is implemented with the funds of the Netherlands cost Rs. 7 billion. The 'Ginipetti Palama' attached to the Parakrama Samudraya in Polonnaruwa began today. 15000 acres of paddy fields did not receive water during this season due to the dilapidated state of the bridge. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 250 million.