R. Subramani is an associate professor in the journalism department of the Periyar University in Salem, in addition to being the director of the Center for Kalaingar Studies at the university. He was just inducted into the University Syndicate by the Higher Education Department. He wrote a book titled "Protests of Periyar" last year, which details ThandhaiPeriyar's Protests.
The university administration recently sent a notice to Professor R. Subramani requesting an explanation of why he should not face any consequences for writing this book.It is a regulation that topics pertaining to the arts, literature, sciences, education, and culture cannot be approved in advance. But there is dispute about the letter that the professor received for producing a book about Periyar.
Various parties who have opposed this have condemned the university administration. The government of Tamil Nadu has declared ThandhaiPeriyar's birthday as "Social Justice Day” and ordered that the government employees should take an oath that they will observe social justice on that day. Does not Salem Periyar University know this?
Saying that a Periyar book shouldn't be written in a university bearing Periyar's name is the height of irony. This is harsh, is it not? Thus, the charges against the book's author, Professor R. Subramani, have to be dismissed right away, and the vice-chancellor who sent the memo to the professor ought to face consequences as well.
What steps would the department of higher education under Chief Minister M. K. Stalin take in this regard? This has become a major question in Tamil Nadu. There will soon be an answer to that query!