All eyes on govt. as law academy stir set to peak

A file picture of students staging a protest near the Law Academy in Thiruvananthapuram.

With the students’ agitation in the Kerala Law Academy Law College all set to peak this week, all eyes are on the State government for the stand it will take on the critical report of the Syndicate subcommittee of the University of Kerala pointin elated to internal assessment and attendance that has put the institution’s Principal P. Lakshmi Nair in the dock.

The government response will be crucial since the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) is planning to take the initiative by launching an indefinite strike in front of the Secretariat demanding the academy Principal’s resignation, charging of criminal case against her for the harassment in the name of internal assessment, government takeover of the institution in the larger interests of students, and takeover of the 11.49 acres of government land.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V. Muraleedharan is continuing his indefinite hunger strike demanding the resignation of Ms. Nair as the first point for a negotiated settlement to the agitation and the ABVP has promised to intensify its strike. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth outfit of the BJP, took the agitation out of Thiruvananthapuram district by holding a sit-in in front of Education Minister C. Ravindranath’s residence in Thrissur.

Nair Service Society general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair also reportedly intervened on behalf of the college Principal.

In the meantime, back room attempts to resolve the agitation took place on Sunday, with academy director N. Narayanan Nair meeting CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and the Education Minister.

Though Mr. Kodiyeri and Mr. Nair have denied such a meeting, the latter is reported to have conveyed the academy’s director board decision that Ms. Nair need not resign from her post.