Following the Periyar University administration’s circular requesting students not to wear black clothing during the convocation ceremony on June 28 that will be presided over by Governor RN Ravi, a tiff has broken out in Tamil Nadu’s Salem district.
Additionally, the students were warned not to bring cellphones to the convocation ceremony. Ironically, the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu and social reformer Periyar are both associated with the colour black.
Reacting to the circular, Madurai CPI (M) MP Su Venkatesan said: ‘The Salem District Police has advised students not to wear black clothes to the Periyar University Convocation in which the Governor will be taking part. I also request the police to advise the Governor that he should not wear Sanathana, which was chased away by Periyar.’
Despite the registrar’s circular asking students not to wear black clothing and saying that the Salem police had instructed the university to do so, a top official claimed that the police simply oversaw security measures and did not issue any additional directives.
Salem police authorities said that the institution did not publish the circular requesting that students refrain from donning black attire for the convocation event on its own and that they were not asked to do so.
The circular followed the announcement of a black flag protest against the governor in Salem on Wednesday for working against the interests of Tamil Nadu by several parties, including Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam.
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