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Sayeed harassing students, says Lakshadweep MP

Special Correspondent

Schools in islands closed following protests

KOZHIKODE: Lakshadweep MP P. Pookunhi Koya has accused Union Minister for Power P.M. Sayeed of using the police, the Lakshadweep administration and Calicut University to harass students from his constituency who are studying on the University campus at Tenhipalam.

Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, the MP alleged that the harassment of students was part of the Minister's attempts to take revenge on the islanders who had defeated him in the last Lok Sabha election.

(The MP's allegation follows an incident on the campus on July 30 in which a group of students belonging to the Lakshadweep Students Association allegedly tried to detain the Administrator of Lakshadweep Parimal Rai. Mr. Sayeed and Kerala Education Minister E.T. Mohammed Basheer were among those who attended the function organised jointly by the University and the Lakshadweep Administration for signing a memorandum of understanding for starting three study centres of the University in the islands.)

Dr. Koya demanded an inquiry to find out who had arranged a private aircraft for Mr. Sayeed to fly from Bangalore to the Karipur airport to attend the function.

He alleged that the Minister had forced the secretary to the Lakshadweep Administrator to lodge a complaint with the Tenhipalam police to the effect that some students hailing from the islands had detained the Administrator. But before the arrests could be effected, the students (including Dr. Koya's son) and Sadiqque, a senior lecturer in a dental college at Chaliyam and son for Mohammed Koya, Mr. Sayeed long-time electoral foe in Lakshadweep, surrendered before the Judicial First Class Magistrate's court at Parappanagadi and obtained bail. Five policemen, including two Sub-Inspectors attached to the Tenhipalam police station, have been suspended for failing to provide effective security at the function.

Mr. Koya warned that he would use his access to the President, the Prime Minister and his parliamentary privileges to stall moves by the Lakshadweep Administrator and the Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University ``to be His (Mr. Sayeed) Master's Voice.''

Mr. Koya pointed out that students in Lakshadweep had already launched an agitation against the attempts to harass the students. Following the stir, the Lakshadweep authorities have been forced to close all educational institutions in the island.

He said the three university study centres sanctioned for Lakshadweep were the result of the discussions he had held with the university authorities. He claimed that the students had only walked out of the function when Mr. Sayeed rose to speak.

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