KOTTAYAM: Following immense pressure from the government and various quarters, Mahatma Gandhi University on Saturday removed Prof Nandakumar Kalarikkal from the position of the director of International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IIUCNN) as part of the efforts to settle the protests launched by a research student alleging caste discrimination on the part of the professor.
Though removal of Prof Kalarikkal from the varsity centre was one of the two major demands of the student, she said she would continue her indefinite hunger strike till the professor is ousted from the centre where she’s conducting her research.
“The statement issued by MG University is an attempt to eyewash the public. No action has been taken against Prof Kalarikkal. I wouldn’t end the protest till the professor is ousted from IIUCNN,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
Earlier, when all mediation talks to settle the indefinite hunger strike failed, the state government came up with the assurance of its intervention in addressing the issues raised by the student. Higher Education Minister R Bindu, in a Facebook post, also warned the university authorities about strict action on the part of the government if the varsity delays its decision.
“If the decision to replace the accused teacher continues to remain pending, the varsity authorities will be specifically instructed to ask the teacher to step down. The student is requested to consider this an assurance from the side of the government and withdraw from the strike,” she wrote.
The minister’s stringent stance is also learnt to have forced the varsity authorities to expedite the action against Prof Kalarikkal. In a statement, Sabu Thomas, Vice Chancellor of the varsity, said he would be holding the charge of the varsity centre directly, instead of Prof Kalarikkal.