DMK, other groups hold protests outside IIT Madras
On Saturday, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), a frontal wing of the CPI(M) and few other groups also held protests in the area.
Last week, IIT Madras temporarily derecognised the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle - a group of around 20 students -- for allegedly violating guidelines of the institute. The institute's Director, K Ramamurthy, said the group had been using IIT's name without permission.
But students claim they've been victimised for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre's policies.
The controversy reached to the highest political echelon with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi taking up the issue to accuse Human Resources Development minister Smriti Irani of playing a role in the ban.
Irani, who denied it, had a war with Gandhi through twitter.
According to media reports, the IIT move to derecognise the student group came after it received a note from the HRD ministry, which mentioned an anonymous letter accusing the students' body of "creating hatred among students in the name of caste" and trying to "create hatred against the honourable Prime Minister and the Hindus."
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