Rein in self-financing sector, says A K Antony

KOCHI: Congress leader A K Antony on Monday said that the self-financing education sector in the state was steeped in corruption and measures are needed to discipline it and the state vigilance should monitor the functioning of these institutions. Inaugurating the A C Jose commemoration meeting organised by the Ernakulam DCC here, he also said that burning of the chair of principal as happened in Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, was barbaric and elements behind it should be expelled not only from students’ orgnisations but from the campuses themselves.

He asked Youth Congress and KSU workers to fight what he called the complete commercialization of education. He also said that he was for allowing politics on campuses and if politics does not exist on campuses, castiest and communal forces will take control of them. Antony said that no strike that attacks the dignity of teachers could be tolerated. “Maharaja’s College showed the best examples of cordial student-teacher relationship. Many a Maharaja principal and teacher had helped me financially during my student days. Though clashes existed before also on the campus, the news currently coming out from the campus are unprecedented and painful. This is not what I mean by student politics. Such activists give ammunition to those who speak against campus politics,” he said.

On former Congress leader A C Jose, he said that Jose was one who executed the task given to him in all its sincerity. “He was the strength of not only Congress, but INTUC, KSU and Youth Congress,” Antony added. DCC president T J Vinod presided over the function. Congress leader Vayalar Ravi and KPCC chief V M Sudheeran also spoke.