11 January 2020 12:31 pm
Referring to Thursday's protest by the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) held opposite the Presidential Secretariat, IUSF convener the Ven. Rathkarawwe Jinarathana Thera said this government was resorting to a subtle method of suppressing university students without resorting to teargas, water cannons and barriers.
“Instead of an overt form of suppression, which might paint a negative picture of this government at the general elections, it is using covert methods to suppress the university students,” he told Daily Mirror. “We are remaining vigilant to thwart any action by the government against the IUSF."
The Thera said one of the maid demands made by the IUSF was that of increasing the Mahapola bursary up to Rs.10,000 a month and to deposit this amount on a regular basis to the the accounts maintained by the to students.
The discussions at presidential secretariat ended with the additional presidential secretary, the chairman of university Grants commission and the secretary to the ministry of higher education assuring the IUSF that the outstanding amounts will be deposited by Monday 13 while the increase in the Mahapola bursary will be taken up for consideration.
“We have not received any assurance in writing,” the Thera said. (Nishantha Hewage)