Within two days of issuing a notice suspending all classes for the department of politics and public administration, Madras University today indicated that classes could resume if the students promised in writing to stop protesting. Registrar David Jawahar confirmed this to The New Indian Express on Thursday evening.
The protests were on for more than ten days, the primary demand being the reinstatement of Professor Ramu Manivannan as the Head of the Department, who was demoted lately. They have also being demanding to fulfill other basic necessities like clean drinking water.
The students expressed shock that despite having college identity cards they were not allowed to enter the college campus. However educationist Prince Gajendra Babu said that the students who have been suspended and not dismissed have all right to enjoy other facilities within the college premises like library for which they have paid.
One of the professors supported the ongoing protests by saying that the students have all right to protest. If they are not allowed to do so, then how are they supposed to bring their problems to the notice of the management, he questioned.
The students living in hostels will have the maximum trouble as the decision to suspend classes also followed an order asking students to vacate the hostel rooms. Students from the northeast and foreigners were troubled the most and 15 of them even signed the undertaking, under pressure.
However this order was later revoked on Wednesday evening, providing some relief to the students living in hostels.
Jawahar said that the ban is temporary and only an attempt to prevent the university premises from becoming a point of influence on others. However the students did not seem to budge in any way and are seeking a legal course.one of the protesting students told TNIE, “Our democratic rights have been denied and we shall be approaching the Madras High Court on Monday seeking a stay on the order."