JNU VC on Madras varsity search panel: Stalin slams Guv

Governor Banawarilal Purohit, in his capacity as the Chancellor, has set a bad precedence by nominating Jagadeesh Kumar to the select committee, as a reward for his (JNU VC) silence on the barbaric attack on the students of JNU, Stalin, in a statement, remarked. “It is worrying that the Governor is working against the Constitution and imposing the saffron agenda of the BJP on higher education in Tamil Nadu in the pretext of ensuring transparency in appointment of university vice-chancellors,” Stalin added.

Urging the Governor to stop insulting the state in the national education map by creating a false impression that there were no competent persons to head the search panel in Tamil Nadu, Stalin suggested that the Governor should appoint a renowned educationist hailing from Tamil Nadu, which has an overabundance of educationists, as head of the search committee to identify the VC for the prestigious Madras University.

Wondering if there were no competent persons in Tamil Nadu to head the search committee, PMK founder Dr Ramadoss said that Madras University should not be affected like Anna University because of appointment of a vice chancellor from outside the state. Describing the helming of administration of higher education institutions in the state by other state people as dangerous, Ramadoss also urged the chancellor to give up the approach. The PMK founder also asked the state government to not permit the same.

In another statement, Stalin urged the state government to conduct the online tests held for recruitment of Tangedco assessors in Tamil. Condemning the state for announcing that the online recruitment test, which would benefit large number of rural youths, would not be held in Tamil, Stalin, in a statement said the announcement was unjust and award of negative marks would completely neglect educated rural youths. Stating that it was inappropriate to only invite two persons per post for certificate verification, Stalin said the government should keep in mind that conduct of exams for Tangedco recruitment was not procurement of power but an opportunity for educated rural youths struggling due to unemployment. He also exuded confidence that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and state Electricity Minister P Thangamani would issue appropriate orders.

A meeting of DMK legislators would be held on Monday, March 9 at party headquarters Anna Arivalayam. DMK whip R Chakrapani on Thursday issued a statement inviting the party MLAs to attend the meeting without fail. The meeting, which takes place as usual on the inaugural day of an Assembly session, would discuss the party strategy to be adopted during extended budget session of the Assembly.