Monday, Apr 07, 2003
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Tamil Nadu
By Our Staff Reporter
Parents of the agitating students, teachers' associations, women's groups, human rights activists, and the public, such as the neurosurgeon, B.Ramamurthy, swarmed the college to keep alive the sagging spirits of the tired students and staff. They, however, had a tough time entering the college with the police preventing many of them from entering. The police also prevented an employee of the college canteen from bringing in food supplies for the day. The police personnel, posing as students or journalists, both inside and outside the college, discouraged parents and relatives from allowing their wards to continue their protest and tried to keep tab on the developments. A woman constable, who posed as a student, was chased away by the protesting women. Another police personnel, who came in armed with a camera, claiming that he was a news channel cameraman, was booed out. However, the police whisked away DYFI activists from the neighbouring Nochikuppam slum, who gathered outside the college in support of the students.
Parents and relatives of students and staff extended their support from outside the closed gates. When they heard of the closure of the canteen and hostel mess, they offered to bring food. Some others said they would join the protest.
Meanwhile, several parties urged the Government to withdraw its proposal of demolishing the college. The CPI general secretary, A.B.Bardhan, appealed to the Government not to use police force to evict the students from the college premises.
His party colleague and AITUC general secretary, Gurudas Das Gupta, describing the proposal as "atrocious", said, "There is enough space in this State to construct additional buildings."
The PMK leader, S.Ramadoss, said the move to construct a new Secretariat building after demolishing the QMC was `unwarranted' as the Government had other priorities on hand.
The college was not only the oldest in the State, but also the only institution where poor and SC/ST, MBC and BC girls studied. The Chief Minister, instead of trying to `crush' the agitation, should invite them for talks to find an amicable solution.
In a statement, the Dalit Panthers' general secretary, Thol. Tirumavalavan, wanted the State Government not to treat the issue as a "matter of prestige" and demanded that the college and its hostels be opened immediately.
Mr. Tirumavalavan, who was prevented from entering the college by the police, said that the "closure order" of the administration not only amounted to taking away the "students' right to education" but also forced the entire student community to take a confrontationist approach.
"The Collegiate Education department and the Government should create a conducive climate for the students to take their examinations," he said.
Earlier, the Education Minsiter, S.Semmalai, said `vested interests' were misguiding the students. "They should concentrate on studies and not get carried away by the campaign of falsehood."
The Government would construct a new building to house the college, with all facilities including a library.
He said the Education Secretary and the Director of Collegiate Education were in touch with the students and were trying to bring them around.
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