CHENNAI: Governor RN Ravi has refused to sign the documents sent from Madurai Kamarajar University to confer honourary doctorate on veteran CPM leader and freedom fighter N Sankaraiah, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy said in a statement on Thursday. He also urged the governor, who is also chancellor of the university, to grant the permission. The university’s convocation is set to take place on November 2.
Sankaraiah is a freedom fighter who spent eight years in jail during the struggle. The leader, who is now over 100 years old, spent his life working for the uplift of Tamils and the underprivileged. He also served as an MLA and student leader.
To recognise his incomparable service, a resolution to confer him D Litt in the next convocation was passed in the syndicate committee meeting of the university held on August 18. The resolution was also passed by the senate in the meeting. As per the Kamarajar University Act, 1965, permission to confer an honorary doctorate is with the senate.
“When this was submitted to the governor for signature, he refused to sign. We ask the governor to confer the doctorate on Sankaraiah on November 2,” the statement said. CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan condemned the governor’s act. “Betrayers of the freedom struggle are now denying Sankaraiah the doctorate. People from RSS don’t understand that it is a great honour to the doctorate degree when it is conferred on Sankaraiah,” Balakrishnan said in a statement.