Members of various trade unions and ‘Save MKU Coalition’ staged a demonstration near the collectorate here on Tuesday condemning the alleged assault on the Save MKU Coalition convenor A. Srinivasan on May 16.
Representatives from trade unions such as CITU, AITUC, AIIEA, TNGEA, BSNLEU, BEFI, MUTA, TANSTSAC, AIBEA, CIAIEA, NFTE and TNGEU, along with the members of Save MKU Coalition, demanded the immediate arrest of MKU Vice-Chancellor Kalyani Mathivanan, former Registrar (in-charge) A. Muthumanickam, Director of Department of Youth Welfare P. Chelladurai and Public Relations Officer Arivalagan, who have been named in the FIR registered by Nagamalai Pudukottai in the assault case.
According to the protestors, the university authorities ignored the welfare of the students and the faculty members and resorted to “undemocratic” methods of governance.
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“The Vice-Chancellor should be removed from her post with immediate effect since her name features in the FIR. Police should initiate action immediately,” said V. Pichai of AITUC.
S. Vivekanandan, vice-president of All India Federation of University College Teachers Organisation (AIFUCTO) said, “The members of Save MKU Coalition are fighting against the undemocratic practises of MKU for the past one year. We condemn the assault on its convenor.”
He urged the police to register a charge-sheet against the university authorities and two others — Jayaraman and Saravanan — whose names figured in the confession statement given by the two arrested.
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Members of Save MKU Coalition also condemned a show-cause notice issued by the university to Mr. Srinivasan as to why his pension should not be stopped because of the “grave misconduct.”
“He was subjected to a brutal assault and the notice was issued a day after he was discharged from the hospital. This is condemnable,” said S. Krishnaswamy, a senior professor of MKU who was reportedly demoted. Save MKU Coalition co-convenor P. Vijayakumar and CPI (M) leader B. Vikraman were among those who spoke.