CHENNAI: It was Tamil Nadu chief secretary M Sai Kumar who had insisted on interdepartmental efforts to prevent students and youth from participating in protests organised by the Left parties and the TN Cockroach Janata Party, a letter from special secretary to govt Rashmi Siddharth Zagade has revealed.The communication forwarded by the special secretary Rashmi Siddharth Zagade, dated Aug 14, had marked the matter as “most immediate” and requested authorities to furnish an action taken report to the govt on or before Aug 20.The issue assumes significance as the Directorate of Collegiate Education (DoCE) faced heavy backlash by students’ organisations on Wednesday for its circular, dated Aug 17, calling for interdepartmental efforts to prevent students from participating in protests organised by Left parties and CJP.However, within hours after the circular reached student-circles, the DOCE revoked the order. Joint director P Cynthiaselvi had declined to provide a reason for issuing and revoking the circular and said she was merely acting on orders from the DoCE commissioner.However, the special secretary’s communication, which surfaced Wednesday noon, revealed that the decision was taken following a law and order meeting held under the chairmanship of the chief secretary on Jul 28. Directorate of Collegiate Education, Technical Education and Registrars of all Universities under the aegis of the higher education department were marked in the communication.In the meantime, students’ organisations, including SFI and AISF, took to the streets condemning the govt and seeking an explanation. “The govt must explain why only ‘Left parties and CJP’ were named in the circular and spell out its stand on student protests. The official who is behind the circular must step down,” said S Mridhula, state-president, SFI.Members of the AISF, who attempted to blockade DoCE campus, were detained at a wedding hall in Saidapet.
