Elaborate arrangements have been made for the function in which the marriage of 120 couples will be solemnised in Madurai on Friday. more-in A section of students and parents have expressed displeasure over compulsory mobilisation of students from at least 10 colleges, allegedly with the involvement of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) administration, to participate in the marriage of 120 couples being organised by AIADMK’s Amma Peravai here on Friday. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Ministers are expected to attend the function. Sources said around 2,000 students from these colleges would be deployed both at the venue near Viraganoor junction and also between Madurai airport and the venue to welcome the Chief Minister. Some of these students had been tasked with folk performances and other cultural programmes, they said. The list of colleges include all the six constituent colleges of the MKU and Madurai Kamaraj University College on Alagarkoil Road. In some of the colleges, including the MKUC, the students were asked to stay over on Thursday night on the campus, from where they would be taken in buses to the designated spots in the early hours of Friday. At least one of the colleges was asked to keep its doors open for party cadre to stay on Thursday night. A senior university official, privy to this ‘mobilisation,’ said National Service Scheme coordinators of these colleges were primarily given the task of coordinating the students. Alleging that they received instructions from M. Nallakaman, Dean (College Development Council), and Director of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Chair at the MKU, and a few other senior university officials, the coordinator of one of the colleges said they were provided ?100 per student to meet their food and other expenses. “I was told to arrange at least 200 students from the college, including around 40 people who can perform cultural programmes,” he said. A student from the MKUC said they were told that attending the programme would add to their performance assessment in the NSS programme. The father of a student from MKU’s constituent college in Tirumangalam said he was informed by his son that it was compulsory to attend the function. “This happened during the MGR birth centenary celebrations. That was at least a government function. But this is a function organised by the party. Is this the duty of students?,” he asked. When contacted, Dr. Nallakaman denied the allegations and said no such instructions and money were provided by him or other university officials to any colleges to send students for the function. Denying allegations of compulsion, N. Ramachandran, NSS Coordinator, MKUC, however, acknowledged that students were staying at the college on Thursday night to attend the function. “Since the CM is attending, this cannot be considered a party function. Moreover, none of the students were compelled and they are attending purely out of their own interest,” he said.

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