'Booked Senate Hall for Rs 65,000...'; VC seeks explanation from registrar over 'Bharatamba' row

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A huge clash broke out at the Senate Hall of the Kerala University over the installation of a Bharat Mata portrait at a private function to be attended by Kerala Governor on Wednesday. Despite the protests, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar attended the event. SFI-DYFI workers and KSU workers protested. Yuva Morcha-BJP workers also arrived at the spot to counter the protest, which led to a melee.

The program was organised by the Sree Padmanabha Seva Samithi in connection with the 50th anniversary of the Emergency. The Kerala Governor was meant to inaugurate the event. Despite the police warning of a strong protest, the Governor did not relent. The Governor even took no notice of the announcement made by university registrar K.S. Anilkumar about cancelling the event. The governor reached the spot amid tight security and inaugurated the event by lighting the lamp in front of the Bharat Mata portrait.

The registrar asked the organisers to remove the picture of Bharat Mata, but the organisers refused. The registrar then wrote to the organisers saying that the event had been cancelled. The Raj Bhavan was also informed about this. The governor then called the registrar on the phone and enquired about the provision, which the Registrar deemed illegal.

Vice Chancellor Prof (Dr.) Mohanan Kunnummal sought an explanation from Registrar K.S. Anilkumar for informing the organisers about cancelling the event over the Bharat Mata portrait issue. The registrar will have to cite the reasons and illegal provisions that forced him to cancel the event.

The registrar had informed the VC over the phone that the event should be cancelled. However, the Vice Chancellor thwarted the move, citing that the senate hall was booked for the event by paying Rs 65,000, and it was senseless to cancel the event for such a puerile reason. However, the registrar wrote to the organisers in defiance of this and said that the event had been cancelled.

Meanwhile, the registrar had told the media that the program was being cancelled because it was illegal due to its religious and political connotations.