CHENNAI:Censuring students of the Dr Ambedkar Government Law College for causing inconvenience to public by blocking major roads during their protest on Wednesday, a Division Bench of Madras High Court refused to admit a petition seeking direction to restrain the government from shifting the college from the High Court campus.
In his petition, I Siddiq, a second year student, submitted that being a native of Krishnagiri district he chose the Dr Ambedkar Government Law College for the only reason that it is situated in the High Court campus. But authorities were now trying to relocate the college some 60 kilometres away from the city. While one section of students resorted to agitation against the move, the petitioner claimed a few of them approached the law secretary, director of legal studies, and the principal of the college to ascertain the facts. “But all our efforts went in vain,” he said.
“The college must remain in the same place; it is an added advantage to the student community to gain real time experience in the High Court. The move to shift the college is nothing but depriving the right of the students,” said Siddiq in his petition.
Further, petitioner alleged that the director of legal studies did not bother to explain the facts, which led to the agitation in which more than 20 students were severely injured. Stating that he had approached the court as he had no other alternative, petitioner sought direction to the law secretary restraining him from shifting the college, and to initiate appropriate action against the police officers responsible for the attack.
However, rapping the students for causing trouble to the public during the protests, the bench comprising Justice S K Agnihotri and Justice M Venugopal refused to accept the petition on urgent basis.
Further, it suggested that the students make a representation to the State government and then approach the court if no concrete action is taken by authorities.
HOLIDAY FOR LAW UNIVERSITY TODAY
Following protests by students against the proposed shifting of the college, the department of legal studies on Thursday announced a week-long closure of the Dr Ambedkar Government Law College. The Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University, too, has declared a one-day holiday on Friday.
Cases Registered for rioting, intimidation
At least six cases were registered against the Law college students for their protest which choked North Chennai for about six hours. Sources said two cases — one under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 506(ii) (criminal intimidation) of IPC and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of IPC and another under provisions of TNPPDL Act, were registered against the students.
support for protest from across the state
A day after police lathicharged students protesting the shifting of Dr Ambedkar Government Law College, students of various law colleges across the State took to the streets condemning police action. Protests were held in various places including Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Tiruchy and Vellore.