Buddhist and Pali University to its former glory

• All right thinking people, the Buddhists in particular are shocked and dismayed to witness the violent, unlawful and reprehensible behaviour of a section of Bhikku students of the BPU

By Sandun A Jayasekera

The Government would not reopen the Buddhist and Pali University (BPU) until Mahanayakas of the four Nikayas give the green light to start academic activities and also created an atmosphere for decent and law abiding students to study there in a peaceful atmosphere, Mass Media, Transport and Highways Minister Bandula Gunawardana said yesterday.  

A special board  of inquiry has been appointed to look into the detection of several hundred empty arrack bottles and beer cans in the BPU premises, he added.  

He told the media that not only the government but all right thinking people, the Buddhists in particular are shocked and dismayed to witness the violent, unlawful and reprehensible behaviour of a section of Bhikku students of the BPU.

“The members of the academic staff of the BPU vividly explained what was going on at the BPU. They said the University premises was like an un-cleared area dominated by a group of student hooligans who don’t have any respect for the law of the land or the University. This is a very disappointing and sad situation when  considering the objectives of the establishment of the BPU,” Minister Gunawardana stressed.

He said the BPU was set up to promote and propagate Buddhism, Buddhist Culture, Buddhist Philosophy and also to train a highly professional and educated group of young monks to take the message of Buddhism to other parts of the world. Sadly this is not happening right now, he added.

The lawlessness, inhuman ragging, threats and insults to the academic staff and total breakdown of law compelled the government to close down the BPU indefinitely. The BPU has been established not under the Universities Act but under a separate law, the ‘Buddhist and Pali University Act No. 74 of 1981’. Therefore, the BPU is run under a different disciplinary and management law as the BPU has been established for a special purpose not like other Universities in the country, he said.

Therefore, it is imperative that this University must return to its former glory, discipline and decency. The Mahanayakas of the four chapters, the public and Buddhists in particular must contribute their bit to make that effort a success, Minister 
Gunawardana stressed.