Hidden hand was in operation to spoil the students of Jaffna

Minister of State for Education V. Rathakrishnan pointed out that a hidden hand was in operation to spoil the students of Jaffna and encourage them to take to all sorts of nefarious activities.
State Minister Rathakrishnan was the Chief Guest at the Tamil Day, held at the Jaffna Hindu College, on Monday (4).
He announced that it was for the first time a large sum of Rs 7,000 million has been allocated to the Education sector of the Northern Provincial Council by the Central Government.
He said that he had visited the Eastern Province the previous week and found that Rs 5,400 million had been allocated for the Education sector to that province.
Regretting the reports on the involvement of the students in various nefarious activities, Rathakrishnan said: "Jaffna Hindu College has produced several illustrious students in various fields. Even the present Chief Justice K. Sripavan is a product of Jaffna Hindu College.
"The Jaffna students show great enthusiasm for education. However, there are certain elements trying to mislead the Jaffna students. I believe that a hidden hand is in operation to spoil the Jaffna students by dragging them into all sorts of bad habits. The latest reports indicate that the Jaffna Peninsula tops the list in alcohol consumption. Even President Maithripala Sirisena, addressing a public event, regretted that Jaffna remained number one in liquor consumption and the Nuwara Eliya District remained in the second place, with the Batticaloa District in third place. These three districts are where the Tamils remain in the majority. So what I could understand is that a hidden hand is operating to mislead the innocent civilians in these three districts."
Talking about the use of narcotics, the State Minister said that in recent years, with the end of war, drug peddaling has also increased in the Peninsula. He commended the efforts taken by the Jaffna High Court Judge M. Illanchelian to curb the drug menace through legal measures.
Rathakrishnan also reminded the students, at the Tamil Day event, that Jaffna Hindu College was blessed with the arrival of Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and very recently the late Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
"Jaffna is an exemplary land and the future generation should go on the right track and excel in their future life. " Rathakrishnan said.
(PA)