TN govt withdraws order seeking to keep students away from protests

New Delhi: Following criticism, the Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday withdrew a controversial order aimed at preventing students from participating in agitations organised by Left parties and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

The order, issued to the School Education and Higher Education departments on August 14, drew sharp criticism from the CJP, which termed it “unconstitutional”, “illogical” and “irrational”. The directive called for coordinated action to discourage students and youth from joining protests led by Left parties and the CJP.

According to the withdrawn order, the TVK government sought coordinated measures to prevent students and youth from “succumbing to the urge” to participate in protests and agitations organised by the Left parties and the CJP, which had spearheaded recent student protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

In a letter dated August 17, the Commissioner of Collegiate Education directed principals of government arts and science colleges to coordinate with the School Education and Higher Education departments, police and district administration to ensure that students and youth did not participate in such protests. The communication cited the August 14 government letter and called for inter-departmental coordination and joint action.

The BJP, however, supported the order, according to a report. BJP leader Vinoj P Selvam described the Left outfits and the CJP as “Agents of Chaos” and alleged that their leaders were misleading students and leaving them to face the consequences.

The TNCJP is a Tamil Nadu-based group that has approached the Election Commission seeking registration as a regional political party.

It is reportedly led by Tamil Nadu-based lawyer C Brahma Balasubramaniam.

The group says it seeks to focus on issues including social justice and the rights of workers, students and farmers in the state.