Sectoral Oversight Committee report on Batticaloa Campus to be handed to President
December 20, 2019 08:48 pm
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources has decided to present the report regarding the Batticaloa Campus (Pvt) Ltd. to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Cabinet of the New Government.
The Chairman of the Committee Prof. Ashu Marasinghe stated this during the committee meeting which was held at the parliament complex yesterday.
The Sectoral Oversight Committee report was first presented to the Parliament on the 21st of June 2019 and was subsequently presented to then-Cabinet of Ministers.
Considering the security situation of the country, monies received by Batticaloa Campus, unlawful constructions and forcible acquisitions of crown lands that were found to be illegal, the Committee has unanimously recommended the government mandate the acquisition of this institution under emergency rule (as dealt with the North Colombo Medical College) and to pursue legal action against all culprits.
The Sectoral Oversight Committee says it had been investigating the Subcommittee’s information regarding the Batticaloa Campus (Pvt) Ltd as well as the related entities and companies since the Sri Lanka Heera Foundation commenced banking in 1993. According to the investigation, the report records a total sum of Rs. 3.6 billion received in foreign currency from time to time to build the institution, incalculable as to whether it was received as grants or loans.
In investigating into the documents related to the institute, the Committee has observed suspicions regarding the mention of “Bachelors of Arts in Sharia and Islamic Studies” in details submitted to the said institute to BOI and Ministry of Higher Education.
It was further stated that an environment similar to Arabic had been created through Arabic architectural styles and symbols in all buildings of the Batticaloa Campus (Pvt) Ltd Among the recommendations included in the observation report of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development, in consideration of the prevailing concerns in Sri Lanka, it has been stated that such institutions should not be allowed as the establishment of such religious or fundamentalist religions threatens the national security of the country.
