THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The controversy over naming the Kerala University Youth Festival as ‘intifada’ has refused to die down. Close on the heels of Kerala University removing the name following the row, 11 senate members nominated by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, petitioned him on Thursday.
They sought an investigation by a central agency into the alleged “anti-national” activities in the university, suspected “terror links” and “international funding” behind the episode. The petitioners pointed out that the decision of the organisers to name the event ‘intifada’, “a pet word for terrorists”, could not be seen as “innocent”. “A state-run public university taking a pro-terrorist stand needs to be viewed seriously, as the same reflects the government’s mandate,” they said.
The petitioners pointed out that the Arabic word ‘intifada’, which translates to ‘uprising’ or ‘shake off’, is a call for violence. It said globalising ‘intifada’ was a mission of Hamas and that the Kerala University union, by naming the fete as ‘intifada’ has been showing their unwavering support to the terrorist outfit. “The motive behind the act needs to be investigated seriously for national security reasons,” they demanded.
“It is highly relevant to note that ‘intifada’ is a word that is already being used by different terrorist outfits and insurgent groups in the country. Kashmir terrorists have already borrowed the term ‘intifada’ to describe their uprising against the nation and to express their intention to shake off the democratically established government,” the petition said. The senate members demanded that funding sources that give courage in abundance to sabotage national interest be exposed.
“It is a case of national security that requires extensive probe,” the members Manju V K, Kavitha O B, S Mini Venugopal, Divya S R, P S Gopakumar, Sree Prasad R, P Sreekumar, Syamlal S, Sajikumar G, Vinodkumar T G Nair and Paul Raj R, demanded.