Ministry to come down hard on'raggers'

by Manjula Fernando

The Ministry of Higher Education has decided to be harsh on university 'raggers' and oust all undergraduates who engage in ragging and harassing freshers in university .

The Ministry Secretary Dr.Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne, said the students use the freshers season to take psychological control of undergrads, by spreading a fear psychosis as a tactic to select members for certain political parties. Ragging by and large serves this purpose, he said.

"There is intense competition between the JVP and their breakaway fraction Front Line Socialist Party to lure new members during the fresher season, and this is totally unacceptable."

He said the students fall prey and serve as guinea pigs carrying placards and taking part in protests that further agenda's of these

political parties as they gain psychological control over the students.

Ragging in universities remains a prohibited and a punishable act under the Anti Ragging and Child Protection laws in the country. But the authorities have been slack in implementing these laws so as not to deprive students of a higher education. "But in future, we will not hesitate to apprehend anyone engaged in the act of ragging and their studentships will be withdrawn and sent home after court proceedings," the Secretary said. The Ministry has introduc

ed a hotline 1918 to inform incidents of ragging taking place in universities or elsewhere if it involved university students.

They can also send short messages/ text messages to 0777862230 to report such incidents.

The Ministry vows to protect the callers identity and the complaints can also be made anonymously. The decision has been taken in view of maintaining a zero ragging policy in universities and also in the backdrop of the incident where a Peradeniya university undergraduate, a key witness in a brutal ragging case committed suicide recently.