Students of the Dr. Ambedkar Govermment Law College, Chennai, continued their agitation for the eighth day opposing the government move to shift their college to two campuses outside city limits.
Madras Law College, one of the oldest law colleges in the country, was established in 1891 and was renamed later. The Indo-Sarcenic style buildings of the college located adjacent to the Madras High Court has produced several legal luminaries including Chief Justices of India Mandakolathur Patanjali Sastri, P. Sathasivam, former President of India R. Venkataraman, present senior-most judge of Supreme Court R. Banumathi and 45% judges of the Madras High Court.
Following the recommendation of Justice P. Shanmugam Commission, which probed the clash between two groups of students on November 12, 2008, the government decided to shift the college to Pudupakkam in Kanchipuram district and Pattaraipudur in Tiruvallur district.
Opposing the move of the government, the students have been protesting since February 26.
R. Devadharshini, a student said, “Shifting the college from here is tantamount to displacing us. For ages, since the college is located close to the High Court, students have been able to hone their skills by visiting the campus.”
“Between 2008 to 2018, no major attack was reported from here. There is no rationale behind the shifting. As per the university rules and regulations, the college will lose its affiliation once the place of functioning is changed,” said L. Nagarajan.
Minister’s assurance
Law Minister D. Jayakumar assured students, who met him in his office, that the existing students would not be shifted and told them classes would be conducted in new campuses for students to be admitted in the coming years.
However, the students continued their agitation.
