CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam on Thursday (August 20, 2026) strongly condemned the Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department’s circular advising students against “succumbing to the urge” to participate in protests organised by Communist parties and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), and held Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar responsible for it.

“How did the idea of specifically targeting and suppressing the Left parties and other democratic parties come about? The question of how the Chief Secretary took such a major decision without the knowledge of the Chief Minister is quite natural,” he said.

Mr. Shanmugam contended the meeting (where the decision to curb protests was taken), attended by the Chief Secretary, had denied students their right to protest and allowed the police to enter educational institution campuses, describing it as an act of unleashing ruthless suppression.

“The Chief Minister should ensure such incidents do not take place in the future,” he said.

The CPI(M) adopted a resolution at its State secretariat meeting in this regard. The meeting also condemned the circular (since withdrawn) issued by the Guziliamparai tahsildar directing officials to collect details of members of Left parties, saying there were doubts about the guidelines issued by the district Collector to revenue officials. Mr. Shanmugam said the Revenue Minister and Secretary should take responsibility for the act.