CHENNAI: Representatives of the first year Siddha students of the Government Siddha Medical College, Palayamkottai, on strike for the past 10 days, have started knocking on the doors of political leaders on Wednesday as part of their marathon attempts to achieve their objective - immediate commencement of their classes for the current academic year. The Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) after their inspection last year, denied permission for the commencement of classes.The seven representatives and parents of some of the students who are on strike at Palayamkottai came to the State Secretariat on Wednesday and met Health Minister VS Vijay and sought his help in resolving their issues. This is their second meeting with the Minister within 45 days on this issue. Since the students could not get any concrete assurance from the State government, they have decided to go on a fast from February 16.Later in the day, they called on TNCC president BS Gnanadesikan and appealed to him to get their classes commenced at the earliest and asked him to take up the issue with senior Congress leader and Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad. The TNCC chief has reportedly promised the students that he would do do his best to end their sufferings.The students and their parents had also met DMK president M Karunanidhi at Anna Arivalayam and sought his help. After listening to their plight, Karunanidhi had promised that he would take up the issue with S Gandhi Selvan, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, and try to do his best. Since Congress and DMK are running the government at the Centre, the uncertainty over the commencement of classes could be ended easily if the leaders of these parties take up the issue with the Centre and explain the plight of the students, one of the parents told Express. The meeting with Health Minister Vijay lasted for about 20 minutes during which the Minister explained the State government’s position in this regard. The AIADMK government, which assumed office in May last year, fulfilled infrastructure facilities as per the requirements of AYUSH and filled up vacancies in the faculty and requested the Union department to commission classes. However, the Central body took a firm stand stating that if it allowed one college under pressure, they had to oblige many such requests.
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