Date:06/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/06/stories/2007070660811100.htm

Tamil Nadu

Excessive fee: PMK ready to line up affected students

Special Correspondent

VILLUPURAM: Responding to a statement made by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss on Thursday said he was ready to line up thousands of students and parents to give evidence on collection of excessive fee and compulsory donation by educational institutions, including medical and engineering colleges.

He laid the condition that the Government should give an assurance that if the managements initiated penal action against the students, they should be given seats in government educational institutions.

Addressing a press conference at Thailapuram, Dr. Ramadoss said it was apparent that educational institutions were fleecing students from kindergarten to professional courses level, and the Minister concerned (K. Ponmudy) had acknowledged the fact.

The Chief Minister too had said that the Minister had never said that educational institutions had not erred on this front.

In such circumstances, seeking evidence was tantamount to sidestepping the issue and diverting people’s attention.

Dr. Ramadoss pointed out that when the DMK was part of the ruling NDA, it had staged demonstrations against hike in prices of petroleum products.

Dr Ramadoss said he put forth these views not as a rebuttal to the Chief Minister’s statement but with the hope that he would strictly implement the 1992 Act. He said though cooperative elections were being held after a decade, the DMK had not taken its allies into confidence.