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Amid an ongoing tussle between the Registrar and the Vice Chancellor of Kerala University, the state capital witnessed massive protests by youth and student organisations, on Thursday, July 10. Demonstrators clashed with police at the university headquarters in Palayam and near Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Governor Rajendra Arlekar, who also serves as the university’s Chancellor.
The protests were triggered by the July 2 suspension of Registrar KS Anil Kumar by acting VC Mohanan Kunnummal over the Bharat Mata controversy. Tensions escalated further when interim VC Ciza Thomas declared the Syndicate's July 6 decision to revoke the suspension "invalid" and issued a notice barring Anil Kumar from campus. In open defiance, Kumar entered his office on July 10, escorted by pro-Left union members who facilitated his access to e-files, overriding the VC’s directives.
On Wednesday, a day before his return, Kunnummal had rejected Kumar’s leave application, stating that a suspended officer cannot avail of leave, and had instructed the security officer not to allow him entry. Despite these orders, the Registrar returned to duty, marking a rare instance of direct defiance within a university administration.
Members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the All India Youth Federation (AIYF) held separate marches toward the Kerala University headquarters by 11 am. Meanwhile, the Student Federation of India (SFI) state committee marched toward Raj Bhavan. Police deployed water cannons to disperse protesters and warned of using tear gas after some demonstrators scaled barricades.
Addressing the crowd, SFI leaders sharply criticised Opposition leader VD Satheesan for calling their members "gundas" at a recent press conference. “Chancellor Arlekar, VC Mohanan Kunnummal, and VD Satheesan all speak the same language in support of the RSS’s saffronisation agenda in higher education,” said M Sivaprasad, referring to a photograph allegedly showing Satheesan attending an RSS event years ago.
“This is not SFI versus the VC; it’s students against the unethical policies of the Chancellor in higher education,” Sivaprasad continued.
Adarsh M Saji, All India president of SFI, said that Kerala’s higher education system has been democratized to reach the grassroots, an approach ideologically opposed by the RSS-led central government. He alleged that the appointment of “anti-Kerala” Governors is part of a broader strategy to dismantle the state’s education model.
The initial flashpoint came when Registrar Anil Kumar revoked permission for an event at the University Senate Hall organized by Sree Padmanabha Seva Samithi, after they used a 'Bharat Mata' image in promotional materials. The Governor was present at the event. The VC suspended Kumar for allegedly disrespecting the Chancellor by canceling the event.
The University Syndicate, which met on July 6, revoked the suspension and reinstated Kumar, arguing that only the Syndicate, as the appointing authority, had the power to take final action. “As per Section 10(13) of the Kerala University Act, the Vice Chancellor may suspend the Registrar between two consecutive Syndicate meetings only in an emergency and must seek ratification at the next meeting. That meeting took place on July 6, and the suspension was revoked,” said Shiju Khan, a Syndicate member, speaking to TNM.
However, interim VC Ciza Thomas declared the Syndicate meeting “dissolved,” arguing that it had no legal standing as she had only convened it to finalise a fact report for the High Court, not for administrative decisions.
After Anil Kumar resumed office, VC Kunnummal, who is also the Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Health Sciences and holds additional charge at Kerala University, directed joint registrars not to process files through Kumar, and instead send urgent matters directly to him. Sources said the pro-Left staff in the administration refused to hand over file transfer credentials to Planning Director Mini Kappen, whom Kunnummal had appointed as acting Registrar, thereby blocking her from assuming charge.
The university’s security officer, a police officer on deputation, reported that Kumar ignored instructions not to enter his chamber. Kunnummal was away in Kozhikode at the time, attending the inauguration of a family health building at Kozhikode Medical College.
On the same day, SFI and AISF activists protested inside the university campus while DYFI workers staged demonstrations outside, raising slogans against both Arlekar and Kunnummal.
Governor Arlekar, who attended a separate public function in Thiruvananthapuram amid the unrest, declined to comment on the protests or the university row. General Education Minister V Sivankutty, invited as the chief guest for the event, stayed away citing a concurrent cabinet meeting.
Meanwhile, the Governor inaugurated the Niramaya Keralam project, which integrates first-aid training into the school curriculum. He praised the Health Department’s efforts and described Kerala as a model for other states but did not address the controversy surrounding the university.