PUDUCHERRY: Alleging that the ‘authoritarian’ AINR Congress government, which suppresses students’ agitations, has now adopted an ‘undemocratic’ and ‘suppressive’ attitude towards political parties, government employees and others who oppose it, DMK (South) convenor R Siva on Thursday said the government can neither stop the forthcoming Assembly elections here nor change the people’s attitude against the AINRC.
In a statement here, Siva said the ruling party had, in its 2011 election manifesto, announced free laptops to all higher education students. But, even after four years of rule, the government had not kept its promise.
With the Assembly elections nearing, CM N Rangasamy, reminded of the promise, has started reiterating it at several government functions. Till then, there was no agitation from students, Siva noted. Apart from the frequent announcement in functions, Rangasamy announced the laptop scheme in his budget speech, said Siva.
CM announced that the laptops would be provided to only students for two years, forcing the students to protest, demanding free laptops for those who studied Plus-One and Plus-Two in 2011,the year when the CM announced the scheme. This led to an agitation by the students of arts and science, engineering, medicine, Siva said adding: Since the students were not demanding anything new or something not announced by the CM, political parties supported the agitation.
Further, the parents of the protesting students were threatened by the police, Siva said.