Vande Mataram row: 5 Kerala Central Uni students suspended for protesting RSS-linked seminar

The Central University of Kerala (CUK), Kasaragod, suspended five student leaders after campus protests against the Vande Mataram national seminar that included a representative from an RSS-afflicted organisation as a keynote speaker. 

The Chief Proctor suspended the students on October 8, claiming they had disrupted the seminar celebrating the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram.

In addition to the suspensions, the Bekal Police registered a suo motu case against 25 unidentified students under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for unlawful assembly, rioting, and disobeying a lawful order.

The suspension and police action stemmed from an incident that occurred on October 6. A two-day seminar, organised by the Sahitya Akademi in association with the CUK and the ABVP,  the student organisation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was held to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. 

Students opposed the event as the keynote speaker was J Nandakumar, national convener of Prajna Pravah, a Hindutva organisation with close ties to the RSS. The protests and the later police action led to four students being injured. 

The suspension notice says, “Students are alleged to have engaged in an act purportedly defaming the university in the presence of invited guests, dignitaries, media personnel and staff during the seminar.”

The five suspended student activists belong to multiple prominent student organisations, including Syed Ali S and Aaved VB from the Students' Federation of India (SFI), Yaseen from the Kerala Students Union (KSU/NSUI) and Shabeer and Thakkiyuddin from the Muslim Students Federation (MSF). 

"The University gave the suspension order after 6.00 pm [on October 8] saying it would come into immediate effect. An enquiry committee was formed, but no hearing was conducted. No report has been submitted before issuing a suspension order," Sayed Ali told TNM. 

Following the suspensions, students began a protest in the University from October 8 evening. University.

"We demand the immediate withdrawal of the suspension orders issued against the students and a fair and impartial consideration of the entire incident. If the suspension orders are not withdrawn, students will continue their democratic protest through a sustained boycott of classes until the suspensions are revoked," SFI said in a statement.