VP Radhakrishnan discusses further deepening of bilateral ties with Sri Lankan President Dissanayake
Colombo (PTI): Vice President C P Radhakrishnan met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake here on Sunday and held productive discussions on further deepening the multifaceted bilateral ties, housing projects and fishermen issues between the two South Asian neighbours.
Radhakrishnan, who arrived here earlier in the day on a two-day visit, also discussed with Dissanayake the ongoing Indian project implementation in Sri Lanka with emphasis on the USD 450 million Cyclone Ditwah aid offered by India.
Accompanied by a 49-member delegation, the vice president was received at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage and several other dignitaries.
Radhakrishnan’s visit is the first ever by an Indian vice president to Sri Lanka, officials said.
Radhakrishnan laid emphasis on India’s 'Neighbourhood First' policy and developmental bilateral cooperation, officials said.
“Both leaders held productive discussions on further deepening the multifaceted India–Sri Lanka ties, rooted in shared history, strong civilizational and people-to-people linkages,” according to a social media post by Radhakrishnan.
They held wide-ranging discussions on various initiatives, including the Indian housing project and projects being implemented under the USD 450 million package for areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka, including reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the most affected regions of the Indian-origin Tamil community, it added.
The two sides also discussed addressing fishermen issues in a humanitarian manner, considering the livelihoods of fishing communities on both sides.
The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka.
The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.
Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other's waters.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya hosted a luncheon meeting for the vice president at her official residence, Temple Trees, in Colombo.
“Both leaders shared the civilizational heritage of the two countries and discussed the importance of further strengthening bilateral ties, including people-to-people bonds,” Radhakrishnan said in a post on X.
Sri Lanka’s Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa also called on Radhakrishnan in Colombo and both leaders discussed further strengthening India-Sri Lanka bilateral ties.
“Sri Lanka and India are not just neighbours, we are true partners with shared history, shared challenges, and a shared future. It is time we move with greater ambition, intent and trust, to reap the benefits of this partnership for all citizens,” Premadasa said in a social media post.
He also met leaders of Sri Lankan Tamil parties and Indian Origin Tamil parties.
The Tamil parties thanked the Government of India for its efforts for the USD 450 million rehabilitation and relief package post Cyclone Ditwah, as well as other relief measures taken.
A number of memoranda of understanding between the two countries are also scheduled to be exchanged during the visit, a Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry release said.
Later in the day, the vice president also participated in a community reception organised by the Indian diaspora here during which he virtually handed over houses to beneficiaries from Tamil communities, built with assistance from the Indian government as part of the third phase of the Indian Housing Project.
With this, the total number of houses for Tamil communities will reach 50,000, and 10,000 more houses are being built in the fourth phase of the project, an official statement said.
On Monday, the vice president will travel to Nuwara Eliya, visit the Indian Housing Projects, and interact with the local Tamil community.
This visit, which follows recent high-level engagements between the two countries, is expected to further strengthen the millennia-old civilisational and people-to-people ties between India and Sri Lanka, an official statement said.
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Five-member panel formed to probe student suicides at NIT Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra (PTI): The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kurukshetra in Haryana has constituted a five-member committee to investigate the recent case of student suicide on campus, besides forming three separate committees to look into issues faced by students.
The probe panel will interact with students, professors, wardens, and other staff.
NIT's Public Relations Officer, Prof Gian Bhushan, said on Sunday that the committee has been constituted to investigate the recent suicide cases on campus.
The panel is headed by Dean of Student Welfare Prof Lillie Dewan and includes Prof J K Kapoor, Prof Praveen Aggarwal, Dr Sandeep Singhal, and Dr Manoj Sinha.
The development comes days after a 19-year-old B.Tech student, Diksha Dubey, who hailed from Bihar, allegedly died by suicide on Thursday. Her death, which sparked protests on campus, marked the fourth such incident on the campus in the past two months.
After Dubey's death, a first-year BTech student allegedly attempted to take her own life on Friday night, police said. The female student, a Maharashtra native, allegedly threatened and tried to jump off the hostel building, but was stopped by fellow hostellers.
Prof Bhushan also informed that the administration has ordered all students to vacate the hostels by Sunday in light of the events and keeping in mind the well-being of all students.
Additionally, all UG, PG and PhD students are to be on vacation until further notice, and are required to vacate their hostels by April 19, according to a notice from the NIT administration.
Bhushan further informed that out of approximately 5,300 students residing in hostels, nearly 4,300 had left by Sunday evening, while around 1,000 students were still on campus.
Notably, the situation has been particularly challenging for students hailing from far-off states. Prof Bhushan said the administration is looking into the requests from such students to allow them to continue staying in the hostels.
The revised examination schedule, including practical examinations, will be communicated in due course. Students will be informed well in advance, before the commencement of examinations. Students have been advised to stay updated through the institute website for further announcements, the notice issued by the registrar-in-charge of NIT said on Saturday.
However, some students alleged that the notice to leave hostels has caused problems for them and disrupted their studies.
On Sunday, a 'havan' was organised at the campus of the NIT here, which has been witnessing a tense atmosphere following four suicides in past two months. Chairperson of the Board of Governors, NIT, Tejaswini Ananthkumar, who arrived on campus late Saturday evening, also participated in the ritual.
Prof Bhushan said the chairperson also visited various hotels late into the night to interact with students and assess their concerns firsthand.
She further held meetings with senior faculty members on Sunday to coordinate administrative efforts, particularly regarding arrangements for students returning home, he said.
A police investigation into Dubey's case is also currently underway.
The institute has replaced key hostel officials, including the chief warden and deputy warden of the girls' hostel.
Interacting with media persons on Saturday, the officiating Director of NIT, Prof Brahmjit, said the institute is taking students' issues seriously. He said each student has been assigned a faculty member for regular interaction. These faculty members will stay in touch with students, understand their concerns, and work towards resolving them, he said.
To further strengthen student support, the institute has also formed three separate committees.
The first committee comprises wardens who visit hostels daily and interact directly with students. The second is a mentorship committee, where one mentor is assigned to a group of 20-25 students and remains in regular contact, including through phone conversations.
The third committee includes two faculty members for each hostel, who continue to visit regularly and engage with students to understand their problems.
An NIT student told reporters here that "there is a gap between students and faculty/management, which should be properly addressed. Merely assigning mentors is not going to solve the problem". Another student noted, "Students are traumatised at four suicides in just two months."
A heavy police force has been deployed outside the campus gate to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, the developments have triggered strong reactions from various student bodies, including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Students' Federation of India (SFI), and Indian National Students' Union (INSU), all of which have extended support to students and raised concerns over the handling of the situation.
Expressing serious concern over the recurring incidents, the ABVP urged authorities to act decisively and demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging that both the police and the institute administration are trying to suppress the matter.
It urged the government to take immediate cognisance and ensure transparency in the investigation. The organisation also appealed to students not to take extreme steps and to voice their concerns fearlessly.
The SFI, in a statement, accused the administration of attempting to downplay the matter by terming the suicides as "personal issues" and demanded accountability along with a fair and impartial inquiry.
Student organisations have also announced plans to hold a candle march, stating that the situation on campus is "completely unacceptable" and warrants urgent intervention.
