MHC seeks response to plea over alleged use of students in TVK leader’s birthday celebrations

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has sought the Tamil Nadu government’s response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking action over the alleged use of educational institutions and students for the June 22 birthday celebrations of TVK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The first bench, comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, directed the Chief Secretary and the Secretaries to the School Education and Higher Education Departments to file their replies. The matter was posted for further hearing.

Plea alleges students used for political event

The PIL was filed by Advocate and DMK Councillor V. Kavi Ganesan, who alleged that TVK members and supporters, wearing party attire and displaying party flags and symbols, were allowed to enter educational institutions and involve students in the June 22 birthday celebrations of TVK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay.

The petitioner alleged that nearly 3,000 students were made to sit under the hot sun to create a human-face formation of the political leader and that students were taken out of school premises during class hours to participate in the celebrations, thereby compromising their safety, welfare and academic interests.

Contending that such activities would set an undesirable precedent and adversely affect academic discipline, student welfare, institutional neutrality and public confidence in the education system, the petitioner sought a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to suspend the heads of the educational institutions and the staff concerned, conduct a detailed enquiry into the alleged incidents, and take appropriate disciplinary and other action against the erring individuals in accordance with law.

He also sought a consequential direction to ensure that the premises of educational institutions across Tamil Nadu are not used for political, ideological, communal, personality glorification, divisive, or any other activities unrelated to the educational objectives of the institutions.