THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: High drama was witnessed at a special meeting of the Kerala University Syndicate on Sunday after pro-Left members claimed that they had annulled the suspension of Registrar KS Anil Kumar, while Ciza Thomas, who is presently holding charge of Vice Chancellor, said the decision was invalid.
The single point agenda of the Syndicate meeting, chaired by the Vice Chancellor on Sunday, was to "finalise the statement of facts on the Registrar's suspension". The statement of facts is to be submitted by the varsity's standing counsel before the High Court on Monday in a case filed by the Registrar challenging his suspension.
During the meeting, the pro-Left Syndicate members insisted that the Registrar's suspension should be discussed. The Vice Chancellor turned down this demand, citing that the matter was off the agenda of the meeting. This led to heated arguments from both sides. According to the Vice Chancellor, the meeting could not even discuss the item on the agenda owing to protests by a section of Syndicate members.
Amid the protests, the Vice Chancellor called off the meeting and walked out. Speaking to the media, Ciza Thomas said the claim of the pro-Left Syndicate members, that the Registrar's suspension has been annulled, had no validity as it was taken after the meeting was called off.. The Syndicate members had also tasked a three-member subcommittee to inquire into the incidents that led to the Registrar's suspension after Ciza walked out of the meeting.
The Vice Chancellor said she will appoint a senior counsel to represent her in the High Court in the Registrar suspension case when it comes up for hearing on Monday. The university's standing counsel will submit the views of the Syndicate in the case.
Registrar K S Anil Kumar was suspended by Vice Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal on July 2 for ordering the cancellation of an event, organised by a private organisation in the varsity on June 25, that was attended by Governor Rajendra Arlekar. The Registrar had intervened after the controversial image of Bharat Mata carrying a saffron flag was displayed on the dais at the varsity Senate Hall.