• I appreciate their move. What they did was correct whatever the others say
• They had registered their protest in a decent and polite manner without resorting to protest or violent ways

By Ajith Siriwardana  

While appreciating the moves taken by graduates of the Colombo University at the recent graduation ceremony to refuse to obtain degree certificates from the Chancellor Venerable Muruttettuwe Ananda Thera, former president Chandrika Kumaratunge said yesterday that it was a day when democracy was upheld in the country.  

Posting a video on social media, she said that the graduates had registered their protest in a decent and polite manner without resorting to protest or violent ways.  

“How those graduates acted that day was very polite. They expressed 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 rights of all the people without taking weapons or using bad language,” she said.  

Mrs. Kumaratunge said people in a democratic country had 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 correct whatever the others say,” she said. 

• People had a right to express their opinion if  the government or the rulers were taking wrong decisions concerning the  people