Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
The University of Kerala, on Sunday, July 6, revoked the suspension of the registrar following a special Syndicate meeting. Earlier, on July 2, Mohanan Kunnummal, the Vice-Chancellor in charge of the University, suspended the registrar Anil Kumar, citing the cancellation of an event in which Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was an invitee. However, Ciza Thomas, the Vice-Chancellor in charge in Mohanan Kunnummal's absence, did not approve the Syndicate's decision to revoke Anil Kumar’s suspension. The Kerala High Court will hear the petition filed by Anil Kumar against the Vice-Chancellor’s decision on Monday, July 7.
Ciza Thomas dissolved the Syndicate meeting and walked out. “I came out after dissolving the Syndicate, so the members can not take any further decision on this matter. Any decision taken by the Syndicate is invalid. The suspension matter is in court. We did not hold the meeting to decide it,” she told the media. However, the majority of the Syndicate members conducted the meeting and revoked the suspension.
The root of the issue lies in the Bharat Mata tiff going on between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
The issue at the University of Kerala happened a week after two Kerala ministers skipped a Raj Bhavan function due to the display of the Bharat Mata portrait, holding a saffron flag in the event controversy.
On June 25, Anil Kumar cancelled a sanctioned order issued to the Sree Padmanabha Seva Samithi to conduct an event at the University Senate Hall by displaying a portrait of the Bharat Mata on stage. However, the organisers decided to conduct the event, and the Governor attended it. Later the VC dismissed Anil Kumar citing the cancellation of the event and accusing him of disrespecting the Governor.
Meanwhile, the state government extended their support to the registrar. R Bindu, the Higher Education Minister of the state, said the VC misused his power and the VC has no right to unilaterally suspend the registrar.
The Bharat Mata row started in Kerala when state ministers VS Sivankutty and P Rajan walked out of an official function at the Raj Bhavan, on June 19, protesting over the display of Bharat Mata holding a saffron flag. Following this event, Arlekar said he will never remove Bharat Mata from the program.