Rajarata undergrads stage protest against Parliamentarian
Allege he was behind attack on ANTI-SAITM leaflet campaign Unrest in Anuradhapura
Students of the Rajarata University staged a protest against the Anuradhapura District Parliamentarian Chandima Mahindasoma accusing him of the attack on the recent leaflet campaign against SAITM organized by them in Kekirawa town. More than 1500 protestors including university students and representatives of Ceylon Teachers’ Union and the Ceylon Teacher Service Union participated.
The protestors displaying placards and banners and shouting slogans paraded the streets in Kekirawa town and staged their protest at the clock tower junction. Police intervened and prevented a clash between the protestors and a group of individuals that attempted to obstruct the protest. The protestors told police that the individuals responsible for the attack of the leaflet campaign were among those in that group.
They also told the media that Parliamentarian Chandana Mahindasoma was responsible for the attack and that the incident had been brushed under the carpet at his instigation. They pointed out that the police had not yet taken into custody the former Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman and others involved in the attack either.
Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union Priyantha Fernando said the former PS Chairman who crossed over to the UPFA under Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa had now joined Mahindasoma. He said the government’s attempt to suppress the student movement and mass protests against SAITM would be a futile excise.
Police had deployed an anti-riot squad and a police contingent to step up security in the area to prevent any incidents of violence.