Kerala University Vice-Chancellor under fire for halting seminar on Pahalgam attack
A controversy has erupted at Kerala University after Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal instructed the cancellation of a seminar on the Pahalgam terror attack, citing concerns over its content and political implications.The seminar, which was organised by the Department of Tamil and scheduled for May 9, was set to address the Pahalgam terror attack, its security lapses, and the connection between the attack and the upcoming Bihar elections. The department regularly holds discussions on various topics, but the seminar in question drew attention when one of the research scholars shared an article from a Tamil website on their WhatsApp group. Titled 'Pahalgam attack: Truths drowned in nationalist frenzy,' the article discussed the attack in detail and suggested that the event was linked to political motivations surrounding the elections.advertisementUpon learning of the seminar, Dr Kunnummal directed the university registrar to halt the event and requested an explanation from the Head of the Department of Tamil. The Head of Department (HOD) clarified that the seminar was the initiative of a PhD scholar, who had posted the article. A memo was subsequently issued to the scholar, who apologised for the incident. The Department of Tamil decided to drop the topic from the discussion entirely.
However, the issue took a new turn during the Kerala University Syndicate meeting held the following day. Members of the Left faction raised objections, accusing the Vice-Chancellor of attempting to distort the narrative. They pointed out that the scholar had shared the article before the Operation Sindoor counter-terrorism operation, questioning the VC's motives. In response, BJP members in the syndicate opposed these claims.advertisementThe controversy deepened when the Student Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), criticised the Vice-Chancellor for allegedly stifling free speech. The SFI accused Dr Kunnummal of trying to label students as anti-nationals for political reasons. 'Mohanan Kunnummal is more interested in propagating the politics of RSS. What is the situation we are in when RSS agents are giving us certificates of patriotism?' the SFI said in a statement, accusing the Vice-Chancellor of undermining student autonomy and suppressing dissent.
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