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Professors forum drops protest plan, holds meeting

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Jan. 9. A protest planned today by the Professors Forum of Madras University to demand that the Vice-Chancellor, S. Ignacimuthu, go on leave, in the wake of a government-ordered inquiry into the affairs of the institution, was called off.

Instead, the forum members held a meeting in a seminar hall on the university's Chepauk campus and passed a resolution, saying they would meet the Chancellor-Governor, the Education Minister and the Higher Education Secretary'' and explain to them how the Vice-Chancellor was acting against the interests of the university, the teachers and the government''.

The PFMU said it had planned a protest in the university. The Registrar later held discussions, during which the forum leaders explained the ``just reasons'' for holding the protest, especially the apprehension among the teachers and their lack of confidence in the functioning of Dr. Ignacimuthu.

The forum resolution noted that on Wednesday, the Registrar had sent a circular pointing to a February 1999 Syndicate resolution (prohibiting holding of protests in the University). So the forum decided to hold a meeting in a hall. But there were reports that the Essential Services Maintenance Act would be used if the protest went on. The PFMU said its protest was not to highlight personal demands. However, the non-teaching staff were allowed to hold an anti-government rally on the campus two months ago. The use of the ESMA was never discussed then, it said.

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