The DMK government suspended Subbaiah after he visited the ABVP cadre in Puzhal prison and initiated an inquiry against him.
The Tamil Nadu Government has suspended former ABVP national president and surgical oncologist Subbiah Shanmugam for visiting Puzhal prison to console the AVBP cadres.
Seeking justice for Lavanya, ABVP national general secretary Nidhi Tripathi and state secretaries Muthuramalingam and Hari Krishnan protested along with 32 others in front of high-security Chief Minister M. K. Stalin's residence in Chitaranjan Salai, Alwarpet. They were booked under Sections 464, 465, 468, 471 and 428 of IPC and section 3 of the TNPPDL act and the magistrate remanded them to judicial custody till February 28.
Subbaiah, head of the department of surgical oncology at the Government Royapettah Hospital, visited them at the Puzhal prison to console them. Following instructions from higher officials, the Directorate of Medical Education suspended Subbiah and initiated an inquiry against him.
The government said he was involved in political party-related activities against rule 14 of the TN government servants conduct rules 1973. The DMK government also took up an old complaint (2020) against him, saying Subbiah should face departmental inquiry in connection with a woman harassment case.
"It has conveniently forgotten that many Govt. employees, teachers, police personnel openly take part in political activities, campaign during polls, attend party meetings, and the government never considered taking action against them under the same rules. Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University, P Kaliraj, openly said that he was a follower of Periyar without wearing a black shirt. He continues to occupy the post despite BJP protests, and another VC, Sabapathy Mohan, said he is a DMK member. Umashankar, who is an IAS officer is openly involved in proselytization of Christianity. Why the government did not take action against them?" questions Priya Venkat, political commentator.
"The government knows that Subbiah was ABVP national president from 2014 to 2020 and did not bother until he visited the prison. It is a clear action to oppress the ABVP protests," she added.
