TIRUNELVELI: Justice K Chandru criticised Assembly Speaker M Appavu’s recent suggestions that the police and district administration should not intervene in student disputes happening on the premises of an education institution. He said the Speaker’s suggestion that headmasters should resolve such conflicts “could not be accepted”.
The retired HC judge was addressing a seminar against caste clashes in educational institutions. The event was organised by Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) on Saturday. Chandru heads the one-man committee giving recommendations to the state to prevent caste clashes in educational institutions.
Chandru cited the report of the Ramasamy Commission — inquired about the death of Annamalai University student Udhayakumar — stating the police need not obtain permission to enter the premises of educational institutions when there is an issue. “Various court judgments have said the same. If a serious crime happens at an institution, from whom should the police obtain permission? I do not know in which Act it is mentioned that headmasters should resolve clashes at school and not the police,” he said.
Chandru mentioned the 2008 student clash at Chennai Dr Ambedkar Law College, in which the principal approached the police and attempted to contact the late BSP leader K Armstrong to stop it. “A few years ago, a Chennai student brought a sickle to hack his principal. A few days ago, three Nanguneri school students brought a knife to attack their teacher. How can headmasters resolve such issues? Should they resolve such issues by wielding a sickle?” he added.
Chandru said caste-related issues in institutions should be addressed outside the premises. He said after the Nirbhaya case, there were instances of 16-year-old juveniles tried as adults in cases for serious crimes. Besides, he said, there are allegations against several teachers for being a part of casteist social media groups.
He said the parents of the students who had hacked Chinnadurai in Nanguneri did not condemn the act. “Caste issues cannot be eradicated until the society condemns the acts of such people. The teachers should also be taught social justice at teachers training institutes,” he said.
Police give counselling to 30 students, parents
Tirunelveli: As many as 30 high school students, who were involved in minor scuffles at various schools in Vikramasingapuram, were given counselling by the police on Saturday. According to sources, the students and their parents were offered counselling by inspector Sujith Anand and Juvenile Justice Board member K Kirubavathy in the wake of the recent clashes at schools in the region. However, some parents raised objections against holding the session at the police station.