AIADMK MLA suspended again over varsity issue

Chennai, May 3 (UNI) The recent controversial order relaxing attendance requirements at Anna University allegedly to benefit students of some VIPs sparked a pandemonium in the Assembly leading to en masse eviction of the Opposition AIADMK members and suspension of former Minister Ce Ve Shanmugam for the rest of the session.

Trouble arose when Mr Shanmugam, who was the education minister in the Jayalalithaa Regime, raised the issue while participating in the debate on the demands for grants for the Higher Education Department.

This was the second time Mr Shanmugam was being suspended. Earlier, he was suspended along with three other AIADMK members but allowed to take part in the proceedings last week after the House revoked his suspension.

This time, the member incurred the wrath of the Speaker for his unruly behaviour. While the marshals were evicting the AIADMK members, Mr Shanmugam rushed to the well of the House, tore some papers and threw them at the Speaker's table.

Following this, Leader of the House and Finance Minister K Anbazhagan moved a resolution, Speaker R Avudaiyappan announced the suspension of Mr Shanmugam for the rest of the session.

Earlier, participating in the debate, the member alleged the university, a premier technical institution in the country, had relaxed the attendance requirements from 75 to 40 per cent to accomodate the grandson of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and two grandsons of Electricity Minister Arcot N Veersamy.

The allegations were denied by Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy who said the list of beneficiaries did not inlcude either of the grandsons of the two leaders.

While, Mr Karunanidhi's grandson did not take up the examination, the grandsons of Mr Veerasamy had more than 75 per cent attendance.

The requirement was relaxed only to benefit some students who were affected by chickunguniya and chicken pox.

UNI