Don’t rope in schoolkids for MGR centenary, government told

Admitting a plea moved by Change India, director, A Narayanan, the vacation bench comprising Justice S Vaidyanathan and Justice R Subramanian on issuing notice to the Chief Secretary, the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Director General of Police, said, “The respondents shall not take the children to attend the centenary celebrations or public meetings organised in connection with MGR’s centenary celebrations.”

Narayanan had contended that students were forced to come to the venues very early even during school days as well as on weekends to fill the thousands of empty chairs to showcase large participation and declare these functions as a grand success. While seeking to stall bringing school children to such functions Narayanan also sought the State to prepare draft guidelines and dos and dont’s to be followed whenever children are made to participate at public events away from schools.