Actor and politician Kamal Haasan has come out in support of Dr M K Surappa, the Vice-Chancellor of Anna University, who is facing a probe on allegations of financial irregularities. In a video posted on his Twitter handle, the Makkal Needhi Maiam leader urged the government to not create another Nambi Narayanan.
"Surappa is an honest man who didn't give into authoritative pressure. He wanted to elevate the quality of engineering education in the country. But will our 'corruption collective' let that happen? They break anyone who won't bend to their will," Haasan lashed out. He criticised the government for forming an enquiry committee based on an anonymous letter by a 'spineless coward'. "When that proved fruitless, they spent people's money to publish ads, waiting in hope to uncover discrepant details," he said, adding that the alleged faculty appointment corruption in the same university still hasn't been probed.
"Conducting examinations and announcing results is the job of an educator. Why are corrupt politicians poking their nose here?
Are the ones who brought bribes trying to buy students with marks?" Haasan sought. "Surappa's ideologies may be different. But when one is hunted down for his honesty, I won't be a mere spectator. This isn't a problem between an educator and a politician but between an honest man and corrupt politicians," he said, urging people to stand with the truth and speak up.
Surappa, who initially got into a tiff with the state government, which opposed his proposal to procure an Institute of Eminence (IoE) tag for the university by approaching the centre for funding, the TN government, a few weeks ago had ordered a probe against him, alleging claims of corruption and favouritism. This was followed by politicians and others seeking his resignation and him being sent threatening emails.
On Friday, he had moved the Madras High Court seeking to be impleaded in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed this week challenging a Tamil Nadu government G.O. ordering an inquiry against him over corruption allegations.