Thank you Deccan Chronicle!

Dear Readers

            Here I’m publishing an article appeared  in  page 2 of DECCAN CHRONICLE dated 19^th May 2012. The article conveys the messages unbiased, as it happened and true to the core. It conveys the sentiments of the ‘rival group’ which had been neglected by some media for reasons best known only to them!

In yersterday’s content  in our blogsite, I’ve published the article that appeared in The Hindu. While publishing it yesterday,  I deliberately did NOT publish the last two sentences that appeared in The Hindu, which read, “ He also added that the management of the American College would continue to remain with the Bishop of Madurai-Ramnad Diocese! Dismissing concerns over the legality of the Governing Council, he said it had now been accepted by the stake holders”. 
These two sentences of the statement, I certainly believe,  were intended to cause confusion among public and are untrue, misleading and biased.

            In the article appeared in the Deccan Chronicle the same day, you will see the verbatim reproduction of  the press meet organized by Rev Rev G Devakadasham, President of The American College Governing Council and the Moderator, Church of South India (CSI).

Readers,  please compare these two articles that appeared in ‘The Hindu’ and ‘Deccan Chronicle’  and you will come to know  the difference between fact and 'fiction'!

            Thank you very much, the DC Correspondent, whoever it is, for publishing an unbiased article that clearly spells out the happenings as a matter of fact. 
I appreciate the tenacity and moral uprightness of the DC Correspondent and I thank the Deccan Chronicle for publishing the article.

-     -   Peakay, 

      Blog Administrator

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 American College prez exudes hope

Devakadasham chairs governing council meet, confident of solving contentious issues

DECCAN CHRONICLE | 19-05-2012 | PAGE 02

Rev G.Devakadasham, moderator of Church of South India and president of The American College, is hopeful of restoring the past glory of the 125-year-old college which is plagued by several administrative problems for the last about four years following an internecine feud over its principal-ship.

"This is God's college. People of Madurai are the beneficiaries of the institution. All of us should strive to restore the glory of the American College," Rev Devakadasham told reporters after chairing a governing council, in which [the self proclaimed] principal and secretary M.Davamani Christober and his supporters are members, in the college on Friday.

However, according to the rival group which has challenged Christober's appointment in the court, the legality of the governing council itself is questionable as the case is pending before the court.

Led by P.R.Anbudurai, principal-in-charge, there is another governing council functioning. However, both the groups do not have differences over the view that CSI (Madurai and Ramnad) Bishop is the president of the governing council.

In the capacity of being the acting Bishop after the demise of Christopher Asir, Rev Devakadasham listened to the representatives of the two groups on his visit to the college on Friday.  He said three major problems pertaining to students, management staff and administration would be set right soon as he has initiated a dialogue with two groups. With respect to the students' issue, he said he would ensure that no student, whether he committed a mistake or not, would be affected. "All of them will get their degree certificates." Dr. Chelladurai of Madurai Kamaraj University has been asked to make an objective study of the ground reality pertaining to students' issue.

As regards the management staff, he said, "A general policy has been drawn to accommodate all the management staff (appointed by the legal secretary before the college plunged into a controversy)  [those who were in the payment roll list as on 30^th Nov 2010] based on their academic qualifications and eligibility. Nobody is going to be sent out of the institution. Each appointment would be examined case by case and those found not to have met the requirements would be given a suitable post."

Asked about the non-payment of salaries to over 80 staff, the moderator said their salaries could be paid if the problems were set right. On the legality of the council and the demand for its reconstitution, he said, "All sections have accepted the leadership of the Bishop. We will think about reconstituting the council. It is not ruled out either'. [Read this statement again and compare it with that appeared in THe Hindu]

To settle administrative disputes, he said he was striving to bring both the groups to the negotiating table and arrive at a consensus through an out-of-court settlement and certain steps had been taken in that regard. "I am not here to fault anyone".

Reconciliation is a prerequisite for peace-making. We will settle all our domestic disputes first and then approach the state government which respects the sentiments of the minorities," Rev Devakadasham said.

Text in GREEN SQUARE Brackets are suggestive and are added by the Blogger for clarity sake.