TN govt withdraws order seeking to prevent students from joining CJP, Left protests
College Education Department withdraws August 17 circular after SFI announces statewide protest against coordinated monitoring of students
The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday (August 19) withdrew its earlier order seeking coordinated action to prevent students of government arts and science colleges from taking part in protests and agitations organised by the Left parties and the Tamil Nadu Cockroach Janata Party.
The order was withdrawn by the Department of College Education. The latest circular with the subject line “Department of Collegiate Education – Withdrawal of the request to undertake coordinated action to prohibit students of Government Arts and Science Colleges and youth from participating in protests and agitations,” states that the earlier order dated August 17 stands “withdrawn”.
Earlier order sought coordinated action
According to the earlier order, the Chief Secretary has sought cooperation among state government departments to prevent students from succumbing to the urge of taking part in protests and agitation by the Left parties and the Tamil Nadu Cockroach Janata Party.
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“The Chief Secretary to Government insisted on interdepartmental cooperation among the School Education, Higher Education, and Police Departments, as well as the District Administration, to work jointly to prevent students and youth from succumbing to the urge to participate in protests and agitations,” stated the earlier order.
It also sought an action taken report in this regard on or before August 20.
SFI announces statewide protest
The circular was withdrawn after the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) called for a statewide protest across all colleges on Thursday (August 20).
"This action demands the immediate withdrawal of a recent circular issued by the Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department under the TVK government led by Chief Minister Vijay,” stated the SFI.
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“The circular directs coordinated monitoring by education, police, and district authorities to prevent college students from joining political protests or agitations, which SFI condemns as an undemocratic attack on students’ fundamental rights to free speech, assembly, and association, comparing it to RSS-style suppression tactics,” it added.