KOCHI: The appointment of Vinodkumar Kallolickal as the chairperson of the Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR) has caused a political and academic storm as three executive members tendered resignations alleging illegalities in the posting.
However, Vinodkumar -- a professor with the department of history at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam – rubbished the allegations.
“The minutes and government orders prove that the allegations and the protest resignations by the three members are all pretences and hypocritical,” Vinodkumar told TNIE.
Vinodkumar said that a search committee constituted by the state government selected him for the post. “That is the norm,” he said, stressing that he was as qualified as the person whose name was doing the rounds as a better candidate.
However, Sanal Mohan, a member of the search committee, raised a complaint against Vinodkumar’s appointment. He sent a letter of dissent, alleging that the search committee had not even considered Vinodkumar for the post. He alleged that the higher education department had slipped Vinodkumar’s name in at a later stage. However, the department refuted these allegations.
Vinodkumar added that the allegations were politically motivated.