KOCHI: A day after the interruption of singer Jassie Gift’s performance by the principal of St Peter’s College, Kolenchery, snowballed into a controversy, Minister for Higher Education R Bindu took to Facebook to express her displeasure over the incident.
“Inviting artists and cultural leaders and insulting them is a bad attitude in a college. Saddened by the unfortunate experience of blessed artist Jassie Gift who set a trend in the Malayalam music industry,” R Bindu noted on Facebook.
Minister for Fisheries of Kerala Saji Cherian, through a post on Facebook, said, "Jazzy Gift is a proud artist of Malayalam. The action of Kolancherry St. Peter's College Principal who intervened in a way to insult him who paved his own path in the music industry with hard work and won the hearts of the people is extremely disappointing and immature. It is appropriate to correct the mistake on the side of the college in this matter and express regret to him. The support of cultural Kerala is with dear Jazzy Gift."
Meanwhile, the principal of the college, Dr Binuja Joseph, said that there is a 2015 government order which prevents external musical events at colleges and that it is being imposed strictly after the Cusat stampede.
“When students made a request to invite Jassie Gift, I gave permission to invite only him as the chief guest, and it was planned that he would sing five songs. I interfered as another person too performed. The programme was organised at my risk. I was just trying to communicate with him and the students,” Dr Binuja told reporters.
Jassie Gift, invited to the college day function, left the venue after the interruption. The issue sparked a controversy as netizens reacted strongly and students staged a protest on the campus.