Letters to the Editor
View(s):Ban ragging in honoured seats of learning
Brimming over with youthful vigour,
Burning midnight oil, with lofty goals in sight.
Clearing the hurdle to enter
varsity,
Rejoicing in the hard-earned fruits of toil.
A heart full of hopes for the future,
Setting foot on hallowed grounds.
As joy disappeared, like dew on petals,
Enveloped her in horrendous gloom.
Atrocious commands from ill-bred seniors,
Who suffer mentally from a
complexinferior.
Remembering the torture innocent victims face,
Trembled in fear with no solace.
Rushed to hospital with dimming hopes,
To the kindness of doctors Godly,
Comforting words from loved ones at hand,
Lifted her ebbing spirits, a relief for all.
Medics doing their best to save a life,
Tearful loved ones praying for her.
Heartless sadists ignoring the aftermath,
Victim suffering in painful anguish.
Those in authority, lend a kindly ear,
To loved ones of victims not long ago,
Ban the ragging in honoured seats of learning,
Make the environs bright and clean.
Youth the life blood of the nation,
Protect them from lifelong blues,
Let them not have indelible scars,
Deterring their path to lofty goals.
Malani Hettiarachchi
Ways and means to put an end to this ragging menace
To overcome ragging in state universities we should get all undergrads to sign a legally binding agreement that the instigators of ragging will be dismissed from the university.
Initially we could try debarring those accused of such acts from studies for one or two years and if the objective is not achieved, there should be no option but to debar them for life.
This, I am sure, will solve the issue of ragging in our universities. We hope the President will implement this suggestion or in the alternative, welcome suggestions from University dons, in particular, and the public to put an end to this menace once and for all. Maybe the University Grants Commission Act has to be amended accordingly to implement the above punishment to deter ragging.
Mohamed Zahran Colombo
Don’t forget the street dogs
Social media recently exposed the sorry state of starving street dogs in the city. There may be many others out of town who also lack any food. Of course, a kind policeman might feed a few but why aren’t local MCs and Pradeshiya Sabas helping them with taxpayers’ money?
No-one, not even religious leaders appear to worry about the plight of these hapless animals. Perhaps if they had a vote politicians may attempt to help them.
Oh, the times and oh, the people! It’s a sad state of affairs for a country which had great benevolent leaders.
Tudor Wickremasinghe Colombo