The Hindu : KE College management denies permission for dharna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

KE College management denies permission for dharna

By Our Staff Reporter

KOTTAYAM June 25. Inspired by the success of its move to stop student politics on college campuses and armed with a recent court directive, the management of the Kuriakose Elias (KE) College, Mannanam, today disallowed the request of the members of the Left-leaning All Kerala Private College Teachers' Association (AKPCTA) to participate in a State-wide dharna being organised by the association in protest against the proposed Unified University Bill.

According to Thomas Joseph, AKPCTA president, the college unit of the association had informed the management about the dharna it is scheduled to take up against the proposed Bill. And they had constructed a makeshift shed for the purpose outside the campus. However, on Wednesday morning, a few priests came out, dismantled the construction and took away the materials, they said in a press note here today.

According to them, the management had called in the police with the aim of getting the agitators arrested. But it did not materialise.

The new development is seen by many service organisation leaders as a test case for the future of the right to organise guaranteed under the Constitution. According to them, the new development may have a cascading effect on other managements too and it is not unlikely that similar actions followed in the near future from them.

It was Christian managements which spearheaded the move to officially ban student politics on campuses following the directive of the Kerala High Court in this regard. Their action was followed by the SNDP and NSS managements. The stand taken by the KE College, Mannanam (which is run by the CMI congregation) makes it clear that they had decided to deny the sanction ``in the context when politics on college campuses is prohibited by the Hon. High Court of Kerala and also by the management of the college (vide order dated 15-06-03)''. A letter addressed to the secretary of the AKPCTA college unit points out that ``you as teachers are expected to maintain the dignity and discipline of your noble teaching profession''.

The principal said the action was taken as the teachers tried to go ahead with the stir even after the management denied them the sanction. The shed was constructed on the campus of the ashram. Disciplinary action, if any, would be decided by the management.

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