Madras High Court directs installation of portrait of Dr. BR Ambedkar in all government law colleges in TN

The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has ordered that the portrait of Dr. BR Ambedkar be installed in all government law colleges in Tamil Nadu. .The order was passed by Justice GR Swaminathan while dealing with a plea by a Scheduled Caste student who sought quashing of disciplinary proceedings initiated against him by college authorities after he allegedly got into a tiff with the authorities over non-installation of the portrait of Dr. Ambedkar in the office room of the college principal."Dr. Ambedkar is the architect of the Indian Constitution. He is the very symbol of social liberation. His scholarship is unparalleled. He can be the greatest inspiration for every law student. The Director of Legal Studies, Chennai is requested to issue circular mandating the installation of the portrait of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in all the Government Law Colleges in Tamil Nadu," the Court ordered.Interestingly, Justice Swaminathan also said that the omission on his part to install a portrait of Indian Constitution's architect in his chambers, will soon be rectified."Charity should begin at home. As I was finalizing the draft order dictated in the open court, I looked around. I confess that the photograph of Dr. Babasaheb is not on the walls of my chambers. I resolved to make good the omission at the earliest," the single-judge stated..The Court also admitted that during the course of the proceedings, the bench might have treated the petitioner-student, who appeared in person, with an element of harshness."Of course, my intention was to ensure that the petitioner did not end up a martyr but as a lawyer at the end of his academic studies. It is quite possible that the petitioner nurtures a sense of hurt," the Court said.It, therefore, directed that costs of ₹10,000 deposited in another case be paid to the petitioner. "I had directed remittance of cost of ₹10,000 in one case in favour of Madurai Bench of Madras High Court Advocates Welfare Board Trust. I had indicated that the money was to be spent for the welfare of a law student belonging to scheduled caste. The said Trust is called upon to pay a sum of Rs.10,000/- to the petitioner. It will help him to buy some standard law texts which can be the foundation for his law library," the bench directed..The petitioner S Sasikumar, a 4th year law student in Government Law College, Theni was suspended after he had allegedly conducted himself in a rude manner while demanding installation of the portrait of Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar in the office room of the principal. He also wanted the course to be taught in Tamil. He was alleged to have uttered rude and defiant words at the principal and barged into the class rooms when the classes were going on. His mobilization efforts were seen as acts of indiscipline and misconduct leading to suspension and disciplinary proceedings.The petitioner argued that he was innocent and denied the allegations of misconduct against him. The petitioner had impleaded three of his professors in person in his plea. The Court during the hearing suggested the petitioner to give up the respondents named in person since it might then require counter-affidavits from all three which would require the matter to be heard in routine course further delaying any relief. The Court, therefore, indicated that the petitioner could give a handwritten letter of apology addressed to the principal, in which event, the bench could persuade the college management to give a quietus to the issue.The Court also made it clear that, the government counsel must report that the portrait of Dr. Ambedkar had been put up in the office room of the principal.When the matter was taken up on August 12, the government counsel informed the court that in the office room of the principal, the portrait has been installed. The petitioner then wrote out a handwritten letter expressing his unconditional apologies to the principal and it was handed over to a teaching staff of the college in the Court."The petitioner belongs to a Scheduled Caste community. He had not indulged in any act of violence. He had merely taken up a legitimate public cause. He is now in the fourth year. He had expressed his sincere apologies. Therefore, the principle of proportionality demands that the matter is given a quietus. The petitioner had already been kept away from the classes for two weeks. He does not deserve to suffer anything more. I therefore direct the fourth respondent to treat the matter as closed. I make it clear that the petitioner shall not suffer any stigma," the Court said."Dr. Ambedkar said 'Be Educated, Be Organised and Be Agitated'. The petitioner must focus on the first advice for the next two years," the single-judge added..[Read Order]