Ramadoss justifies restriction on students using cell phones

Tindivanam, Jun 2 (UNI) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder-leader Dr S Ramasoss today joined issue with Tamil Nadu Minister for higher education K Ponmudi over the ban imposed by Anna University on the use of mobile phones by the students on the campus.

A day after Mr Ponmudi criticised Anna University for imposing the ban saying that such restrictions would only force youngsters to rebel, Dr Ramadoss, talking to newspersons at his Thailapuram residence said such restrictions were necessary for the students.

Stating that he had no first hand information on what Mr Ponmudi had said on the issue, the PMK leader said if what was reported by the media attributing to Mr Ponmudi was correct, his remarks could not be accepted.

The minister's suggestion that there should be no such restrictions would neither be accepted by the teachers nor the parents, Dr Ramadoss said and supported the restrictions.

''We can't afford to sacrifice the conduct and charecter of a student in the guise of giving freedom and liberty,'' he said adding cell phone, film, television programmes and liquor only lead the students to the path of destruction.

Welcoming the passage of the resolution by the Tamil Nadu Assembly urging the Centre to promulgate an ordinance to implement 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions, Dr Ramadoss said he would write to Kerala, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar governments to pass similar resolutions.

The PMK leader also congratulated the Tamil Nadu government for bringing a legislation to provide 69 per cent reservation in private educational institutions and making learning of Tamil compulsory in the state.

UNI XR/WS VV ARB RK2057