Actor Prakash Raj criticises UDF govt over suspension of students at Sanskrit university

Kochi, Nov 7 (PTI) Actor Prakash Raj on Saturday criticised the UDF government and Higher Education Minister Roji M John over the suspension of students at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady near here and threatened to join their hunger strike if they were not allowed to write examinations.

    Raj visited the university, where 16 suspended students are staging a hunger strike for the past six days after being denied permission to appear for examinations.

    The students were suspended following an SFI-led protest during a syndicate meeting on August 13 over a lack of sufficient facilities on campus.

    They were accused of staging a "mock cremation" of the vice-chancellor Ciza Thomas, manhandling her and attempting to damage university property.

    The Kerala High Court's single bench had directed the university to allow the students to appear for the examinations. However, a division bench later stayed the order.

    The students subsequently approached the Supreme Court, which directed the High Court single bench to decide the matter.

    Addressing the gathering, Raj accused the university and the state government of adopting a "dictatorial" approach towards students who raise questions and protest against issues affecting them.

    "What is this anarchy, dictatorial behaviour of the university or the education minister of this state? How long will everybody become like Modi and the Central government to stop youngsters from protesting and asking questions," he asked.

    He said the students had staged a play to express their concerns over necessities at the university and questioned whether performing a play had become a crime.

    "Now, doing a play is a crime in this country? You suspend them, and now you are asking for an apology," he said.

    Referring to freedom fighters and constitutional values, Raj said the present generation would not be intimidated into submitting apology letters and would continue to raise questions through peaceful protests.

    "This generation is not Savarkar's to write sorry petitions. This generation protests with the strength of what Gandhi has taught them and asks questions with the rights Babasaheb Ambedkar has given them. This is not Manusmriti, this is the Constitution," he said.

    He urged the higher education minister, who represents the constituency, to intervene and resolve the issue by allowing the students to write their examinations.

    "Are you interested in how they are protesting or why they are protesting? Come, talk to them, understand their problems and try to solve them," he said.

    Raj also questioned the university's decision to approach the court after the single bench had directed it to allow the students to appear for the examinations.

    He alleged that the university was using legal provisions to prevent the students from writing the examinations.

    He compared the situation to the Centre's measures against protesters.

    Questioning the allegations against the students, he asked where the evidence was to support claims that they had physically attacked the vice-chancellor and questioned her modesty.

    "This is not done. You have to come and stand with the students, make them write the exams and conduct an investigation," he said.

    Raj said he had come to express solidarity with the protesting students and would join their hunger strike if the issue was not resolved.

    "I have come here for a protest, but I promise that if this continues, I will come and sit with them here. I have no problem. I can stop everything and come and sit here," he said.

    He also questioned why the Congress-led government was behaving like the BJP government at the Centre and urged the minister to win the trust of students and their parents instead of demanding apology letters and resorting to suspensions.

    Raj thanked SFI, DYFI and other youth organisations for extending support to the protesting students.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)