Rajarata Uni students besiege UGC building

Some 200 students of the Rajarata University yesterday surrounded the University Grants Commission (UGC) urging the relevant authorities to resolve their academic and welfare issues.

The students led by the Maha Shishya Sangamaya staged a protest for four hours outside the UGC building obstructing vehicular movement from Borella to Town Hall. However, their attempts to enter the facility were prevented by security officers at the site. Police personnel including the Antiriots Squad along with a water cannon truck were deployed to the scene to avoid any violence.

However, before the protesters stormed the compound, UGC Chairman Mohan de Silva and staff members have evacuated the premises on the instructions of the police.

Addressing the media, Rajarata University Maha Shishya Sangamaya Convener Pradeep Premalal said the relevant authorities should immediately rescind the suspension of twelve university students as they had been suspended on false charges. He said these poor students had to face severe inconveniences inside the university which was worse than a prison.

“There is only one canteen and one water filter for some 4,000 students. There are no proper lecture hall facilities. The number of bedbugs in hostels tops the student population. Construction of the Technical Faculty complex has been halted. All our appeals to relevant authorities have fallen on deaf ears. However, the students will resort to stern action if UGC officials remain silent,” he said.

It was learned that the protest was staged at a time when semester exams were on in three faculties of the university. Pic by Damith Wickramasinghe