The suspension of the appointment of V.E. Gaston Roy as the principal of the Velanai Central College in Jaffna, allegedly due to demands made by a few parties based on religious beliefs, has been revoked by the Northern Provincial Education Ministry, the Ceylon Principals' Union (CPU) said yesterday (30).

In a recent letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr. Susil Premajayantha, the CPU had requested to look into an incident of the Northern Provincial Education Ministry working to suspend the appointment of a principal to the said School in Jaffna, allegedly due to demands made by a few parties to remove him from the School, based on his religious beliefs.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (30), CPU General Secretary Piyasiri Fernando said that Roy had reappointed as the principal of the School. He also said that the said Ministry, which had earlier advertised that there is a vacancy for a principal for the School, had once again advertised that the vacancy had been filled.

Roy, who was serving as the principal of Kondavil Ramakrishna Maha Vidyalaya had applied for the principal vacancy of the Velanai Central College, which had been advertised by the Northern Provincial Education Ministry.

Speaking to The Daily Morning at that time, Fernando claimed that Roy had been denied work at the said School due to his religious belief. "Most of the students of this school are Hindus, but he is a Christian. A group of people, whose children are not even students of this school, have demanded that he be transferred to another school because of this matter. It is very unfair for the Ministry Secretary to even consider such a request." Fernando claimed.

Attempts made to contact the Minister of Education regarding the suspension of the appointment and the subsequent back peddling, failed.