TIRUNELVELI: A research scholar of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) chose to receive her doctorate from Vice Chancellor M Chandrasekar, instead of Governor and Chancellor R N Ravi during the convocation ceremony on Wednesday.
The scholar, Jean Joseph V, who is the wife of DMK’s Nagercoil corporation deputy secretary M Rajan, said she did not want to receive the doctorate from the governor because “he had not done anything for Tamil and Tamil Nadu”.
The incident took place at the 32nd convocation of MSU in which the Governor, V-C, and Director of the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism AP Dimri, were to confer degrees on 109 graduates and 650 PhD scholars. When her turn came, Jean, who had been given the doctorate certificate in advance, walked past the governor, handed it to Chandrasekar, and posed with him for the photograph.
Later, Jean said “I believe in the Dravidian model. I thought why should I receive the degree from the governor who is against Tamil and Tamil Nadu. I came to know that Chandrasekar has also achieved a lot. I thought he would be the right person to receive the award from. There is no personal reason behind the refusal.
"I ask our system do we not have the right persons, like the CM or the Minister for Higher Education, to confer the degree? I did not find any achievements of the governor for Tamil when I searched on Google,” she said.
Her husband Rajan said the two decided well in advance not to accept the doctorate from the governor.
Minister for Higher Education and pro-chancellor Govi Chezhiyaan did not attend the event.
Former TN BJP president K Annamalai condemned Jean for her action.