Kerala University professor booked for casteist remarks

Thiruvananthapuram: The head of the Sanskrit Department at Kerala University has been booked for allegedly making casteist remarks against a research scholar after refusing to sign his PhD thesis, police said on Sunday.

Sreekaryam Police registered a case against C N Vijayakumari, Head of the Sanskrit Department and Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the university’s Kariavattom campus, based on a complaint by Vipin Vijayan, a native of Vanchiyoor and a research scholar in the department.

According to the FIR filed late Saturday night, Vijayakumari allegedly refused to sign Vijayan’s thesis following his open defence held on October 15. When he later approached her again to complete the process, she reportedly made casteist remarks in the presence of other teachers and students.

The complaint further alleged that Vijayakumari had been making similar caste-based remarks since 2015, when Vijayan began his MPhil studies under her supervision. The FIR stated that the accused had allegedly said people from lower castes could not learn Sanskrit and that she would clean her room after they entered.

Police said a case was registered under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which deal with intentionally insulting or abusing a member of the SC/ST community by caste name in public view.

Officials added that the offences are non-bailable and that a detailed investigation will be conducted before deciding on her arrest.

Vijayakumari has denied the allegations, saying she refused to sign the thesis because the researcher lacked adequate knowledge of Sanskrit and his work contained several academic issues.