How President overcame protests by Kelaniya University students
President Ranil Wickremesinghe visited Kelaniya University on Wednesday to declare open the new building complex of the university’s Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies. His visit had earlier drawn protests from the university’s student union.
The student union, which is part of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), held several protests in the days leading up to the president’s visit, claiming the university premises to be out of bounds for politicians. On Monday night, police used tear gas and water cannons to break up a student protest that was blocking a section of the Colombo-Kandy main road near the university.
The following morning, students surrounded the university’s main administration building as part of their protests. Amid the unrest, the student union also put up posters within the university premises, daring the president to visit the university. The president’s visit in this backdrop was seen as him accepting the student union’s challenge and essentially calling their bluff.
“There was a report from the CID saying that students were getting ready to hoot (at the President). Many advised him not to go, but he said that he had already accepted the university’s invitation and would go,” said a senior official from the president’s office.
The official claimed that some lecturers and a Buddhist monk were instrumental in inciting the students about the visit and that they were able to get through to most of them. In the end, the visit went off without a hitch.
The student union held another protest opposite the university while the president’s visit was taking place. However, it was a far less aggressive affair than the ones held previously and did not block traffic on the main road. They dispersed after burning an effigy of the president.