Governor R. N. Ravi’s remarks highlight the political tension and the serious concerns surrounding the recent event where Deputy Vice-Chancellors (DVCs) were prevented from attending a scheduled conference. The Governor draws a parallel between the situation and the Emergency period, pointing out that the use of police forces to stop the DVCs from participating in the conference raises serious questions about academic freedom and political interference.
According to the Governor’s statement, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M. K. Stalin, allegedly used the police to prevent the DVCs from attending the conference, despite prior threats made by the State Higher Education Minister to stop them. The involvement of police forces, who allegedly threatened those attending the event with dire consequences if they participated, was strongly criticized by the Governor as an abuse of power.
On the day of the conference, one of the DVCs was reportedly taken to the police station for questioning, and the doors of the rooms where others were staying were knocked on in the middle of the night. Attendees were threatened that if they attended, they would face serious repercussions, including being barred from returning home.
Governor Ravi questions whether Tamil Nadu is turning into a police state under such actions. He further raises concerns about the lack of academic freedom in attending an educational conference. He speculates that the Chief Minister might feel threatened by the possible political impact of improved academic standards in state universities, which could empower marginalized groups like Dalit and economically disadvantaged students. He suggests that political fears over such improvements might be motivating the actions to suppress academic independence.
This situation highlights the growing tension between the state government’s political control and the autonomy of educational institutions. The Governor’s remarks underscore the potential consequences of stifling academic freedom and using law enforcement to suppress educational events, which can set a dangerous precedent for the future of higher education in the state.
