CPM fails to defuse Kerala Law Academy row

Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: CPM, which feared that BJP was getting political mileage out of the student strike, intervened and held talks with the Law Academy management at AKG Centre on Sunday but failed to make any headway as the management did not agree to the demand for the resignation of Principal Lakshmy Nair. Meanwhile, the CPI executive decided to extend full support to the AISF strike. BJP leader V Muraleedharan resolved to go ahead with the fast till the demands of the students were met.

SFI state president Jaik C. Thomas announced that his organisation would continue the strike till the principal resigned. ABVP activists began a 48-hour fast in front of the residence of Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan in Kanhagad and Education Minister C Raveendranath at Kannetukara in Thrissur. In its efforts to end the 18-day strike, CPM summoned N Narayanan Nair, law academy director and Ms Lekshmi Nair’s father, to AKG Centre to find a solution.

CPM state committee member and former MLA Koliyakode Krishnan Nair, brother of Narayanan Nair, and Narayan Nair’s son and director Nagarajan also attended the talks, which lasted 45 minutes. Though the CPM did not demand the removal of Ms Nair, the party suggested the option as it would be difficult for her to continue in the post after being debarred by the university syndicate for five years from examination-related duty.