THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Syndicate meeting of the University of Kerala on Thursday witnessed confrontation between Vice Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal and Left-backed Syndicate members who termed as ‘serious’ the Vice Chancellor’s ‘procedural lapses’ that facilitated the Chancellor (Governor) to nominate alleged ‘pro-right wing’ students to the varsity senate.
According to a member of the Syndicate, the Vice Chancellor ‘admitted’ at the meeting that he had not given a list of students to the Chancellor for nomination to the Senate. Syndicate member JS Shijukhan had earlier demanded that the entire files relating to the nomination of the student representatives should be tabled before the varsity’s apex body. Kunnummal reportedly told the Syndicate members that he was not bound to disclose the procedure that was followed.
This led to Left-backed Syndicate members Shijukhan, P Rajesh and G Murleedharan Pillai alleging that the Vice Chancellor was acting at the behest of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.
On the issue of banners put up against Governor Khan in the varsity campus, the Syndicate members said it was a part of freedom of expression and resolved that there was no need to remove them. The Vice Chancellor had earlier ordered the removal of the banners which likened the Governor to dictators.
The Syndicate meeting was held after ensuring a quorum of nine members. This included six members nominated by the government and three ex-officio members.