Madras HC judge seeks contempt proceedings against actor Suriya

While fearing for their lives amid coronavirus pandemic and delivering justice via video conferencing, the court orders students to go without fear and write the exams, Suriya had said.

Justice SM Subramaniam, a judge of the Madras High Court, has written to the Chief Justice seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against actor Suriya. This is in connection with a statement that the actor had released on his social media handles pertaining to students ending their lives owing to fear ahead of the NEET exam and the need to voice out against NEET.

In a statement in Tamil, Suriya had expressed grief over the separate instances where three students from humble backgrounds had ended their lives due to fear and pressure ahead of the medical entrance test. The actor pointed out that it was painful that students are having to write exams to prove their eligibility at the time of a deadly pandemic.

“While fearing for their lives amid corona pandemic and delivering justice via video conferencing, the court orders students to go without fear and write the exams” read one of the lines in the actor’s statement. It is this line that had come to the attention of the judge, which led to him seeking initiation of contempt proceedings.

In his letter to the Chief Justice, the judge mentioned that, “the statement reveals that the Hon’ble Judges are afraid of their own life and rendering justice through video conferencing. While so, they have no morale to pass orders directing the students to appear for NEET exam without fear”.

The judge opines that the statement amounts to contempt of court, as it questions the integrity and devotion of the judges and the judicial system of the country, to the extent of threatening the public confidence in the judiciary.

The actor’s statement urged society to raise a collective voice against NEET, which burns down the aspirations of children from humble backgrounds who wish to be doctors. He had also termed NEET as a ‘Manu Neethi test’, claiming that it denies students opportunities and also takes away their lives. Suriya had also cautioned parents to and teachers to be alert and pay more attention to the education system which does not consider the welfare of students.