Kerala VC suspended Registrar over RSS-linked event row

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala University Vice Chancellor Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal has suspended Registrar Dr. K S Anilkumar for taking a stand against the display of a woman holding a saffron flag inside the university's Senate Hall. The VC’s action, which is reportedly against university rules, is said to be under the influence of Sangh Parivar organisations and the Governor. Senior Joint Registrar P Harikumar has been given the charge of the Registrar.

According to the university statute, only the Syndicate has the authority to take disciplinary action against officers above the rank of Deputy Registrar. The VC’s decision came shortly after the Finance Committee convener submitted a letter demanding that the Syndicate convene a meeting to discuss the Senate Hall controversy.

Meanwhile, in a rare and unprecedented move, Raj Bhavan has temporarily assigned the charge of Kerala Digital University VC, Dr. Sisa Thomas, who already holds interim charge, as the acting Vice Chancellor of Kerala University as well, for four days. This is the first time in the history of the university that a temporary appointee has been given additional interim charge.

The controversy began when an event organised by the RSS- affiliated Sree Padmanabha Seva Samiti featured an image of a woman holding a saffron flag inside the Senate Hall. Registrar Anilkumar’s report stated that this violated university norms, which provoked the VC’s retaliation. Following the registrar’s warning that the event could not be held in such a manner, he had suggested removing the controversial image if the organisers wanted to proceed peacefully.

Despite alerting both the Governor and the VC, the Governor went ahead and inaugurated the event. Afterwards, the registrar sent an email cancelling the event. The Senate Hall had been allotted to the Seva Samiti based on the VC’s instructions. However, the organisers violated their affidavit, which clearly stated that there would be no religious symbols or religious discourses, the primary reason for the conflict.

In response, the Students' Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest march to the Raj Bhavan condemning the Vice Chancellor’s action. Police blocked the demonstrators using barricades and deployed water cannon to disperse them.