Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan on Tuesday urged Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to ensure adequate representation of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, women and minorities in university key positions.
In a letter to the Governor-Chancellor, Mr. Thirumavalavan said that he had mentioned in his petition to the Madras High Court that even though there were qualified candidates from the SC/ST, women and minority communities, they were not being given even the minimum representation in universities.
“SC/STs, women and minorities are wantonly and wilfully ignored by Government of Tamil Nadu in appointment of Vice Chancellors, in the constitution of Governing Council, Board of Management, Syndicate and Senate Committees of all Universities,” he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media.
He said the Tamil Nadu government was not taking corrective measures despite the Madras High Court saying “if there is a provision, providing representation to SC/ST or women, in Syndicate or Academic Council or Senate, in some universities run by State, there is no reason it should not be there in other universities too.”
Invokes Article 161
In another letter to the Governor, he appealed that Perarivalan, a life convict in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi Assassination case, be released by invoking Article 161 of the Constitution.
“As per jail rules, life imprisonment at ground level are only for a maximum of 20 years and thereafter the prisoner is considered for release. The seven accused persons (in the case) are in prison for more than 27 years. So they are eligible for release under jail rules too,” he said.
