BMICH taboo for political meetings

Steps would be taken to prevent the BMICH premises being booked for activities of political parties in the future in the light of a recent incident in which the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) hall was used by the newly-formed National Freedom Front for its inauguration, BMICH Director General Bandula Ekanayake said.

The NFF had reportedly misled officials and fraudulently booked the BCIS premises as the venue for its meeting which was held on May 14, chaired by its leader Wimal Weerawansa.

“An inquiry will be held. I have requested them (organizers) to give me an explanation. The BCIS is meant for academic activities and I have also given instructions to the officials there not to rent out the venue for activities other than for educational purposes,” Mr. Ekanayake said. NFF Secretary Nandana Gunathileke said, “It is not up to us to know if it was illegal or not. That was the responsibility of the BMICH administration.

If it was illegal the hall should not have been given to us.” He added that the UPFA was also launched at the same venue when its inaugural meeting was held there.