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The Kannur University, on Thursday, June 6, revoked its controversial order regarding the formation of a special committee to monitor ‘anti-national’ activities on campus. After strong protests from students and syndicate members, Vice Chancellor KK Saju informed that the order has been repealed.
The order, issued on June 4, states that a seven-member committee has been constituted to “ensure that there is absolutely nothing anti-national in the content of the programs conducted at the university.”
The composition of the committee, as recommended by the Vice Chancellor, included the Registrar and six other professors — VA Wilson (Development Officer at the University), V Reeja (Malayalam department), K Preethi (Hindi Department), Johnson Alex (Behavioral Science department), NK Deepak(Physics department), and KK Kunhammad (English department).
Students staged a protest outside the University administrative office on June 5, during the syndicate meeting, and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) members burned copies of the order in protest. The protest turned violent when the students tried to barge into the office and consequently got into a tussle with the police.
Kannur SFI District Secretary Sarath Ravindran told TNM that the move was intended to suppress protests inside the campus. “This move by the administration was very unprecedented and unheard of in any other university in Kerala,” he said.
Recently, students had organised a festival on campus, expressing solidarity with the people of Manipur. “Essentially, such protests against the Union government are being attacked and labelled as ‘anti-national’ while threatening students with punitive measures. This is symptomatic of a larger attempt by the RSS-admin nexus to suppress democratic dissent, and we will continue fighting against such forces,” Sarath added.
As per media reports, the Vice Chancellor claims to have suggested these measures to prevent anti-national elements on campus in the light of the recent Operation Sindoor.
Taking into account the general discontent regarding the order, the Vice Chancellor declared it to be revoked, effective immediately.