Former President Mrs Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga says that she would pay her respect to the graduates of Colombo University for their silent and decent protest against the government at their convocation.
While appreciating the move of Colombo University graduates who refused to receive the degree certificates from the Chancellor Ven. Muruttettuwe Ananda Thera, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge said today that it was the day when the democracy was upheld in the country.
Posting a video on social media, she said that the graduates had demonstrated their protest in a decent and polite manner without resorting to protest or violent manner.
“How those graduates acted that day was very polite. They demonstrated their protest politely and silently. Various people have expressed different opinions on the incident. I see this as the day when democracy was upheld in the country. They acted democratically to uphold the democratic values of all the people without taking weapons or using foul language,” she said.
Ms. Kumaratunge said people in a democratic country have a right to express their opinion if the government or the rulers were taking wrong decisions concerning the people without a proper social discussion.
“I appreciate their move. What they did was exactly right irrespective of what others say,” she said.
