CHENNAI: Days after the Tamil Nadu higher education department withdrew its controversial circular restricting student participation in Left or Cockroach Janata Party-led protests, the Commissioner of Collegiate Education P Ponniah has issued a show-cause notice to the joint director of the department in a move that has raised allegations of scapegoating an intermediate-level official for an order that originated from the chief secretary.
In proceedings dated August 21, Ponniah issued the notice to Joint Director of Collegiate Education P Cynthia Selvi, stating that she had circulated a “potentially sensitive and very important” communication capable of creating tension, without routing it through him or getting his approval, giving her a week’s time to respond. A senior official in the higher education department confirmed that Selvi has since submitted her reply detailing the chain of events and that it was being looked into.
However, the instruction itself, originated from a chain of official communications beginning with a law and order meeting chaired by Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar on July 28 and subsequently conveyed by Higher Education Special Secretary Rashmi Siddharth Zagade.
During the meeting, the chief secretary reportedly directed coordinated action by the Higher Education and School Education departments, police and district administrations to prevent students and youth from participating in protests organised by Left parties and CJP.
Based on the meeting minutes, Zagade on August 14 issued directions to the Commissioner of Collegiate Education, Director of Technical Education and registrars of state universities, seeking Action Taken Reports by August 20.
‘Made scapegoat for following chain of command’
Acting on this communication, Selvi issued the August 17 circular to government arts and science colleges. The University of Madras Registrar also circulated the directions to affiliated colleges and sought an Action Taken Report, the Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers’ Association (TNGCTA) pointed out. Following criticism, the Higher Education Department withdrew its August 14 communication on August 19.
The subsequent circular issued to government colleges was also withdrawn.Higher Education Department sources close to Selvi said she was being made a “scapegoat” for a communication she had issued while acting on instructions received through the administrative chain of command. TNGCTA general secretary S Suresh said, “The commissioner of Collegiate Education seeking an explanation from Cynthia Selvi is completely unfair.”