"CSI Bishop's illegal entry and taking possession of The American College"

The Hindu, 15.11.2008 page 6 of Madurai Edition

Women’s Commission for enquiry
Shastry V. Mallady
MADURAI: The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women has recommended to the State government to hold a proper enquiry into the entry of unauthorised persons inside American College premises on August 29. It also recommended that the enquiry shall specifically look into allegation of breach of official responsibility by the Madurai Police Commissioner K. Nandabalan.

K. M. Ramathal, Chairperson of the Commission, along with Qudsia Gandhi, member, conducted an enquiry at the Madurai District Collectorate on September 19 and 20 after receiving a memorandum from a few women faculty members of the college alleging that “police entered college premises accompanied by the Bishop of CSI and illegally took possession of the Principal’s room apart from misbehaving with the students.”

The American College here is in the thick of a controversy following differences of opinion between two groups led by Bishop of Church of South India A. Christopher Asir and T.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar, who was removed from the post of Principal. (Bishop, who through a bogus Governing Council removed Dr.TCJ Jaikumar from the Principal-ship, in fact has NO Legal rights to do so as per the By-Laws of the Governing Council of The American College. Currently Dr.TCJ Jaikumar is restrained only from the day to day activities as the Principal through a court order on 27th Aug 2008. The stay petition originally moved by Bishop will come for a final hearing on 20th Nov 2008 - Peakay).

“The Women’s Commission strongly recommends that the State government request the Madurai District Collector to ensure that all the women students and teaching faculty members who deposed before the Commission and alleged vulgar and sexual verbal abuse by the police in their depositions to us may be adequately compensated with a payment of Rs.5,000 to each of them,” the report said.

The State Women’s Commission had come to the conclusion that “the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tallakulam, in Madurai, is openly supporting the Bishop and his men and he has also been responsible for the illegal entry of the Bishop and his men to the college on August 29.”It strongly recommended that the Assistant Commissioner may be immediately transferred outside Madurai city jurisdiction.

Another recommendation made by the Commission was that the Madurai District Collector, Commissioner of Police (Madurai) and the Joint Director of College Education shall ensure that the complaints that have so far been brought to their notice by the students, teachers and representatives or the Management of the American College are dealt with justly as per provisions of law as well as disposed of speedily. “This will also apply to all future complaints that may arise,” the report said.

Over 25 witnesses from both the groups were examined by the Commission.

The write-up herewith published in brackets (blue color) is a comment inserted by the author of this blog - peakay.