Safety of students from Tamil Nadu will be ensured, says CM

The Tamil Nadu government will ensure the safety of students from the state who pursue higher education elsewhere, Chief Minister K Palaniswami today said in the state Assembly.
He gave the assurance while replying to a calling attention motion moved by Leader of Opposition M K Stalin (DMK) and his party colleagues on the recent death of JNU scholar J Muthukrishnan in New Delhi.
"The government will make appropriate arrangements for the safety of students going to other states to pursue higher education," Palaniswami said.
28-year-old Muthukrishnan, an M Phil student at JNU's Centre for Historical studies, was found hanging at his friend's house in south Delhi with his family raising suspicion over the police's version that it was a suicide.

Recalling the sequence of events following the death Muthukrishnan, a native of Salem district in the state, Palaniswami on March 13 said the state government extended all assistance to bring his body to his home town.
A solatium of Rs 3 lakh was provided to the student's family and a case under IPC section 306 (abetment of suicide) as well as under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was registered, he noted.

Stalin, raising the safety aspect of students from Tamil Nadu in Delhi, sought appropriate measures in this regard.
He mooted a committee comprising officials from police and education departments to monitor and ensure their safety.

DMK member Rajendran demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter since there were suspicions about the death. He also wanted the government to create a database of students of Tamil Nadu who go outside the state for studies.
Responding to another calling attention motion by DMK and Congress on the farmers' agitation against hydrocarbon project at Neduvasal in Pudukottai District, Industries Minister M C Sampath said the chief minister had already assured that the state's approval (mining licence) for the project will not be given.
DMK's Meyyanathan wanted a special Assembly resolution against the project while Congress Legislature Party leader K R Ramasamy said the state had the duty to persuade the Union government to do halt the project.

He said an application of ONGC seeking mining licence for 20 years in Neduvasal village on an area of 10.1 square km was pending with the Pudukottai District Collector.
Health Minister C Vijayabaskar reiterated that the state's consent to operate, and nod of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board would not be given.
Stalin said the Centre has so far not said it will give up the project and demanded a resolution against the project.
Sampath said the state government will persuade Centre to give up the project.
DMK member Pichandi, moving another motion, spoke on the drinking water scarcity in the state. Local Administration Minister S P Velumani said the situation was being addressed deftly through a series of measures.