It appears there is nothing like tragedy to bring out the worst pettiness among politicians and indulge in a blame game.
PMK leader K Balu has now alleged that it was the DMK government which issued a No Objection Certificate to SVS College of Naturopathy and Yoga Sciences in Villupuram, whose students blamed the college management in a suicide note before killing themselves.
On Friday, Balu demanded an “unconditional apology” from Thol. Thirumavalavan and said that the DMK government had issued the NOC to the college in 2008.
Thol. Thirumavalavan, who heads the VCK, and Vijayakanth of the DMDK had earlier alleged that the college was given the requisite permits by Anbumani Ramadoss of the PMK when he was the union minister for health.
Balu told the media that according to a circular issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on September 4, 2006, the state government was the authority to issue permits for naturopathy colleges.
The circular states, “The most appropriate course of action would be for the state governments to enact comprehensive legislation for regulation of naturopathy. Such legislation should ideally cover the registration of practitioners, the regulation of medical education and all related matters.”
Balu said that the central government had nothing to do with naturopathy colleges, and said that MRK Panneerselvam was the state health minister in 2008 when SVS College was given the NOC. Based on the NOC, the college was given affiliation by the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR university.
He also alleged that the permission was granted through bribe and influence without conducting any proper inspection.
Balu said that the party expected a response from DMK and said it would urge the state government to allow CBI inquiry into the deaths of the three students.