Traffic Ramaswamy set to file new petition against Anna University VC, after Madras HC dismisses his PIL

The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL filed by activist ‘Traffic’ K R Ramaswamy, seeking the removal of Dr M K Surappa from the post of the Anna University Vice-Chancellor. Upset by the court’s decision, the 86-year-old is now set to file another PIL on Wednesday. The case was heard by a bench comprising of judges M Sathyanarayanan and P Rajamanickam.

In his petition, Ramaswamy said that Surappa’s appointment violated a certain UGC norm, since he had served his terms as the director of IIT Ropar and as a Dean of IISc Bangalore. “The UGC doesn’t permit someone to serve a position of the same rank more than twice. I quoted this in the petition. However, the court said that it couldn’t find any evidence here. They asked me from where I got these details,” he says. “I am not going to give up. I will file another PIL tomorrow,” says Ramaswamy. Four months ago, he had written to the authorities stating the same. However, he did not receive a response.

The founding member of Tamil Nadu’s Home Guard, he said that he has filed more PILs against Surappa in the past. “The government had ordered a probe against him, investigating financial irregularities and misuse of power, only after I filed a petition,” he says. However, he believes that the government’s inquiry is just an eyewash. “This won’t lead to anything. It is just a strategy, considering that the elections are coming up,” he says.