Court orders a stop to university students’ cross-country march

A cross-country protest march organised by the students of Peradeniya University has been ordered to stop by the Kandy Magistrate yesterday.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) affiliated student union, the Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) had organised the march from Kandy to Colombo yesterday to protest against the legislation proposed by the government on establishment of private universities.

The protest march was scheduled to begin from the Peradeniya University and proceed to the University Grants Commission in Colombo.  The Kandy Magistrate court gave the order following a request by the police that the march would cause severe traffic congestions along the Colombo-Kandy main road. The Police have explained that the march would disrupt public activities and disturb peace.  Meanwhile, the government has deployed additional police and army troops to Kandy and surrounding areas of Peradeniya University to maintain law and order.