The Student Federation of India's (SFI) unit in the Central University of Kerala is planning a protest against the university inviting many BJP sympathisers as speakers to a seminar on campus, on November 25. The guests have been invited for a seminar organised by the Department of International Relations and the Department of Public Administration as part of the 70th Constitution Day celebrations. The two-day national conference on 'Constitution and Democracy 70 years of Indian experience' is scheduled to take place between November 26 and 27.
There are seven sessions in the conference of which students have raised objection on three sessions by BJP Intellectual Cell convener TG Mohandas. Mohandas is listed as resource person for a session on "Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic", former DGP TP Senkumar's session is on the constitution correcting inequality and BJP mouthpiece Janam TV's Chief Editor GK Suresh Babu will speak on the Fourth Estate.
"TG Mohandas is a propagator of communalism. Most of his public speeches are highly communal. TP Senkumar has also many times spoken outrageously. Janam TV is a propagandist of communalism and hatred. Moreover, they have no academic background to speak about these topics," Sachin Gopu, SFI unit Secretary of the university alleged.
He also alleged that this is a move to saffronise the campus. "This seminar is a propaganda to achieve certain hidden motives," he said.
However, University authorities have denied any political motive behind inviting the guests.
Professor T Jayaprasad, Pro Vice Chancellor of the University and Dean, School of Global Studies said that all views should be heard and there were no political motives involved.
"Is BJP a banned organisation in India? We don't give platform for any anti-national views. There is nothing illegal here. There are four other speakers too in the sessions and some of them are left sympathisers," he told TNM.
"Mohandas had participated in another program here a few weeks ago. GK Suresh Babu was a journalist with Mathrubhumi for a long time. Now he works with Janam. Tomorrow he can work in some other media outlet," he said.
Professor KC Sunny, Vice Chancellor NUALS Kochi, Professor MS John from the Department of International Relations and Politics, Central University Of Kerala, Jacob Thomas IPS and T Jayaprasad are the other resources persons for the conference.
Recently, TP Senkumar took to Twitter and Facebook to criticize teaching Arabic in schools under the Devaswom board. He had said, "Arabic should be learned to get a job in temple, should not study Sanskrit." These comments has sparked a controversy.
TG Mohandas had come under criticism in April this year when he said only Hindus are appointed as collectors in Thrissur district. "If TV Anupama (then Thrissur collector) is a Christian she should immediately step down from Guruvayur Devaswom Board Samithi. Usually, Hindus are appointed as Thrissur collector," he had said.