Suspension of student sparks a row
COIMBATORE, OCTOBER 17, 2018 00:00 IST
She organised meeting to honour Bhagat Singh without approval, says college
The suspension of a student by the Government Arts College, Coimbatore, for “obstructing peace in the campus and holding a meeting without the principal’s permission” has snowballed into a controversy with the suspended student alleging that her democratic rights had been curtailed.
The trouble began on September 28 when S. Malathi, a first-year M.A. History student, approached the principal K. Chitra seeking permission to conduct a function in honour of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh later in the afternoon.
Ms. Chitra reportedly told Ms. Malathi that since the time was too short, the latter should get the concurrence of her head of the department for holding a function at the department level. The college usually required a day or two to process such approvals for functions.
Ms. Malathi said based on the principal’s instructions, she met her tutor, a faculty member named Senthurapandian, as the head of the department was not available on that day. And, as Mr. Senthurapandian expressed his helplessness over the issue, she and a few of her friends went ahead by mobilising students from across the departments and holding a meeting at the college ground.
At the end of the function, Ms. Malathi said she asked the students who had gathered to narrate their grievances, as a day or two earlier Ms. Chitra had asked her to form a committee of students to redress grievances.
The students used the occasion to complain about the poor quality of food at the college canteen, unhygienic toilets, lack of safe drinking water and a few other issues. When Ms. Malathi went to meet the principal after recording the grievances, she was told that she had been suspended.
Principal Ms. Chitra said the college suspended Ms. Malathi because she had mobilised students during class hours without permission, and a couple of days before the incident — perhaps on September 25 or 26 — had instigated students who were complaining about lack of basic amenities in the campus.
Legal challenge
A few faculty in the know of the developments said the college officially held functions as per State government orders, and if students wanted to hold special events, they would have to get the principal’s permission. In this case, the student concerned, Ms. Malathi, did not have the permission but went ahead and convened a meeting.
The faculty argued that if the students were to defy the protocol and hold meeting in honour of one leader or another, it would open the floodgates, leading to loss of class hours and disruption of peace in the campus.
Ms. Malathi, however, argued that the denial of permission to hold the September 28 meeting and the consequent suspension were against her democratic rights as a student. “As a student, I’ve every right to hold any political activity in the campus and seeking the principal’s permission is only a mere formality. In fact, I don’t admit to having done anything wrong.”
She also said that she would legally face her suspension, depending on the college’s further course of action. Meanwhile, the college had convened its disciplinary committee on October 22, which will conduct an inquiry into the incident.
The Students Uprising Movement for Social Welfare, of which Ms. Malathi is a member, has sought immediate revocation of the suspension and urged the college to provide basic amenities to the college students and those who reside in its hostels.
COIMBATORE, OCTOBER 17, 2018 00:00 IST
She organised meeting to honour Bhagat Singh without approval, says college
The suspension of a student by the Government Arts College, Coimbatore, for “obstructing peace in the campus and holding a meeting without the principal’s permission” has snowballed into a controversy with the suspended student alleging that her democratic rights had been curtailed.
The trouble began on September 28 when S. Malathi, a first-year M.A. History student, approached the principal K. Chitra seeking permission to conduct a function in honour of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh later in the afternoon.
Ms. Chitra reportedly told Ms. Malathi that since the time was too short, the latter should get the concurrence of her head of the department for holding a function at the department level. The college usually required a day or two to process such approvals for functions.
Ms. Malathi said based on the principal’s instructions, she met her tutor, a faculty member named Senthurapandian, as the head of the department was not available on that day. And, as Mr. Senthurapandian expressed his helplessness over the issue, she and a few of her friends went ahead by mobilising students from across the departments and holding a meeting at the college ground.
At the end of the function, Ms. Malathi said she asked the students who had gathered to narrate their grievances, as a day or two earlier Ms. Chitra had asked her to form a committee of students to redress grievances.
The students used the occasion to complain about the poor quality of food at the college canteen, unhygienic toilets, lack of safe drinking water and a few other issues. When Ms. Malathi went to meet the principal after recording the grievances, she was told that she had been suspended.
Principal Ms. Chitra said the college suspended Ms. Malathi because she had mobilised students during class hours without permission, and a couple of days before the incident — perhaps on September 25 or 26 — had instigated students who were complaining about lack of basic amenities in the campus.
Legal challenge
A few faculty in the know of the developments said the college officially held functions as per State government orders, and if students wanted to hold special events, they would have to get the principal’s permission. In this case, the student concerned, Ms. Malathi, did not have the permission but went ahead and convened a meeting.
The faculty argued that if the students were to defy the protocol and hold meeting in honour of one leader or another, it would open the floodgates, leading to loss of class hours and disruption of peace in the campus.
Ms. Malathi, however, argued that the denial of permission to hold the September 28 meeting and the consequent suspension were against her democratic rights as a student. “As a student, I’ve every right to hold any political activity in the campus and seeking the principal’s permission is only a mere formality. In fact, I don’t admit to having done anything wrong.”
She also said that she would legally face her suspension, depending on the college’s further course of action. Meanwhile, the college had convened its disciplinary committee on October 22, which will conduct an inquiry into the incident.
The Students Uprising Movement for Social Welfare, of which Ms. Malathi is a member, has sought immediate revocation of the suspension and urged the college to provide basic amenities to the college students and those who reside in its hostels.
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