CHENNAI: Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy on Wednesday urged governor RN Ravi to approve the file on conferring honorary doctorate to veteran freedom fighter N Sankaraiah if he has any regard for freedom fighters from Tamil Nadu. The minister’s statement comes on the heels of the governor accusing the state government of reducing freedom fighters to just caste leaders.
Ponmudy said that the government didn’t receive any information from the governor’s office after he requested the same through a press note on October 19.
“Sankaraiah spent nine years of his life in prison during the freedom struggle due to which he could not complete college. He also worked for social justice and economic equality of people. He is also a recipient of the Thaigaisal Tamilar Award given by the state government,” said the minister. As the governor has now expressed concern for freedom fighters, we hope he will sign the documents conferring the honorary doctorate, he added.
MKU’s convocation is set to take place on November 2 and the minister had said the governor was refusing to approve it despite the senate and syndicate of the university approving it. He added that DMK would easily get 50 lakh signatures against NEET. “I have spoken to students in several institutions, both government and private, and all of them are against NEET,” he said.