Law college students continue protest

Several political parties, including DMK, today offered support to the protest by students of the Dr Ambedkar Law College here against the reported move to shift their institution from its present location.
The students are up in arms following media reports that the century-old institution was to be shifted from the present premises in the campus of Madras High Court in the heart of the city to the outskirts.
Some students were injured on the first day of the protest on February 4 when police resorted to lathicharge to disperse them after a road roko. The college has been closed for a week in the aftermath of the violence.

DMK leader M K Stalin, who visited the protest site this morning, told reporters that the government should hold talks with the student representatives over the issue.
"DMK was against shifting the Queen Mary's College, when it was decided to relocate it. Likewise, we are against shifting the college out of the present premises against the students' will," he said.
Referring to the injuries to the students, DMK President M Karunanidhi in a statement released by the party said it could have been avoided if the government had held talks with them.
"The Chief Secretary has spoken to students after the clash. If he had spoken to students before, either the protest or the clash or the injury would not have happened," he said.

Students said that they were willing to participate if the state government came forward to hold talks with them.