CHENNAI: The CPM has condemned the order issued by a Dindigul district tehsildar seeking details of CPM and CPI members and the Higher Education Department's circular directing government arts and science colleges to take coordinated action to prevent students and youth from participating in protests organised by Left parties and other democratic movements.
It also raised questions about how such decisions could have been reached with the CM's consent.
In its first resolution, the party condemned the order issued by Gujiliamparai Tahsildar Ayyasamy on August 18, seeking details of CPM and CPI members in the taluk. The party said the tehsildar had exceeded his powers and acted in violation of the law.
The CPM questioned why the Dindigul Collector and senior revenue officials had not acted against the order. It also criticised the Collector's decision to relieve the tehsildar from training later that same day, saying the move appeared to be an attempt to avoid action against the official.
The party demanded that the Revenue Minister and Secretary take responsibility for the alleged violation and that action be initiated against the officials concerned.
In another resolution, the CPM condemned the August 17 communication issued by the Commissioner of College Education to principals of all government arts and science colleges.
The communication referred to a government letter dated August 14 calling for coordination among the School Education, Higher Education, police and district administration departments to prevent students and youth from participating in protests organised by Left parties and the Cockroach Janata Party and other democratic movements.
The CPM said the directive amounted to an attempt to curb the constitutional right to protest and could facilitate police interference in educational institutions.
The party said the August 14 communication was based on discussions at a law and order review meeting in July in which Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar had participated. It questioned how such a decision could have been taken without the knowledge of the Council of Ministers or the Chief Minister.
Though the Commissioner of College Education withdrew the communication on August 19, the CPM said the withdrawal did not absolve those responsible for issuing the directive.
The party demanded that the Chief Secretary take responsibility for the instructions and urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to ensure that such attempts to restrict democratic rights and target Left parties did not recur.
The resolutions were adopted at the CPM state executive committee meeting held in Chennai on August 19 and 20, chaired by state executive committee member K Samuelraj. Politburo members K Balakrishnan and U Vasuki, state secretary P Shanmugam and others participated in the meeting.