Kerala: Kannur University withdraws controversial monitoring committee order

KANNUR: The Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of Kannur University has withdrawn a contentious order forming a special committee to monitor university programmes for alleged anti-national content following strong opposition from syndicate members and a protest by the Students Federation of India (SFI).

Tension erupted outside the university administration office on Thursday during a syndicate meeting, with the SFI activists staging a protest holding banners that read, ” This is not a branch, this is a university.” The protesters attempted to barge into the office, triggering a brief commotion.

The majority of syndicate members voiced opposition to Vice-Chancellor K K Saju’s directive, prompting the V-C to announce its withdrawal during the meeting. The order forming a seven-member committee tasked with vetting programmes to ensure that it contained no anti-national content had been issued by the Registrar on Wednesday, Kannur University said in a press release.

The committee included university officials and heads of departments from various campuses, including V A Wilson, V Reeja, K Preethi, Johnson Alex, N K Deepak and K K Kunhammad.

The order stirred controversy amid allegations that it was a response to recent university programmes featuring speakers critical of the Union government. Sangh Parivar organisations had reportedly lodged complaints, prompting speculation that the move was influenced by political pressure.

The Vice-Chancellor appointed by the Governor, who is also the Chancellor, was believed to have issued the order based on these complaints.
Earlier, SFI activists staged a protest at Kannur University in Kerala on Thursday.

The protest comes in response to a directive from the university’s Vice Chancellor to establish a monitoring committee. This committee will oversee the content of events held in affiliated colleges to ensure that no anti-national elements are present.

Visuals showed the activists attempting to barge into the university’s administrative office and the police preventing them. As a mark of protest, they also burned the copies of the order.

The university has warned that strict action will be taken against any event found to include anti-national elements. SFI activists are protesting, likely citing concerns over freedom of expression and academic autonomy. (ANI)