IIT student death: Edu institutions must treat all students equally: MK Stalin

CHENNAI: Expressing deep shock and pain at the alleged suicide by Ms. Fatima Latheef, a Muslim girl student from Kerala at the IIT-Madras, the DMK president M K Stalin on Thursday made a fervent plea that all higher educational institutions including the IITs' should treat all their students equally and ensure equal rights for all.

Such tragedies culminate in the death of students in higher educational institutions, he said. It stems from a certain 'Sanatanist' mindset, consciously emphasizing on caste and religious factors by sections of people in the teaching profession, which in turn led to students being discriminated, Mr. Stalin said in a statement here, adding, it was extremely unfortunate.

This trend of 'saffronising' higher educational institutions should not be given any quarter and all sections of students accorded equal status like the colours on the Indian national flag, the DMK leader urged. Though IIT-Madras was very much in Tamil Nadu where ideas of social justice has gained ground, the "institution (IIT-M) and its functioning remains like a mysterious island," Stalin noted.

Underscoring the painful views expressed by the deceased girl student's mother, about how her daughter was allegedly humiliated and suffered sexual harassment that pushed her into a depression, Stalin said it was a matter of serious concern that students from other states who looked to Tamil Nadu as an academic haven, should suffer for no fault of theirs. A detailed higher level enquiry by the police into the girl student's suicide was called for, Stalin demanded.

In another statement, the DMK organising secretary and MP, Mr. R.S. Bharathi condemned the ruling AIADMK's attitude in handling the case related to a woman, Rajeswari of Singanallur in Coimbatore, who was critically injured as she fell off her two-wheeler, coinciding with the fall of a ruling party flagpole, and hit by a lorry. The DMK sought police permission to hold a protest against the incident, but it was denied. When party-men went ahead with the demonstration they were arrested, he said and condemned it. Bharathi sought the immediate release of all arrested DMK men and a proper inquiry into the Rajeswari mishap.