MADURAI/CHENNAI: Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan on Wednesday said the present government is under no obligation to continue the previous DMK regime’s stand that the chief minister should function as chancellor of state universities, triggering sharp reactions from allies and opposition parties.
Speaking to reporters in Madurai, Viswanathan said the issue is a policy decision to be taken by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and that an announcement would be made at an appropriate time. “The previous government had adopted the position that the CM would act as chancellor of state universities. There is no compulsion for us to follow the same stand,” he said.
DMK deputy general secretary and former minister K Ponmudy strongly condemned Viswanathan’s remarks that the CM may decide if he should function as chancellor, saying they were “highly condemnable and go against the rights of the state”. He added that the remarks made Congress appear a “stooge” of the BJP-led central government.
VCK general secretary D Ravikumar questioned whether the minister’s statement had the CM’s approval, calling it “an abandonment of what TN fought and won for state rights” and a contempt of the SC’s verdict.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss noted that the SC had invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to approve the bills, making the CM chancellor of all state universities. He warned that reversing this stand would weaken state government rights.
CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said the minister’s remarks suggested the TVK-led government was supporting the union government’s attempts to reduce state powers.