The protests against the ban on Periyar-Ambedkar Study Circle in Indian Institute of Technology-Madras continued in Tiruchi and neighbouring districts on Tuesday.
A group of activists belonging to People’s Art and Literary Association (PALA), Revolutionary Student Youth Front (RSYF), New Democratic Labour Front (NDLF) and Women Liberation Front (WLF) staged a protest in front of the National Institute of Technology-Tiruchi (NIT-T). The protestors, carrying placards and banners, tried to enter the campus to mark their opposition to the decision of the IIT to ban the study circle.
They raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani for failing to lift the ban.
There was a minor scuffle between the protestors and police when the agitators were prevented from entering into the campus. Some of the protestors, who opposed the police action, entered into a heated exchange with the police. Later, all the 25 protestors, including eight women, were taken into preventive custody. M.Jeeva, district secretary, PALA, was among those present at the agitation led by Chezhian, student organiser, RSYF.
Meanwhile, a group of law students owing allegiance to PALA staged a protest in front of the institution on Tuesday in connection with the issue.
Similarly, members of the Student Islamic Organisation (SIO) also took to the streets protesting against the ban on study circle. They staged a demonstration at Anna Statue. Condemning the act of IIT-M in banning the study circle, they said that it was nothing but an attempt to stifle the freedom of speech.
In Karur, as many as nine members of RSYF were arrested when they attempted to stage a protest in front of the bus stand.
