Two distinguished Kerala universities, Kerala University and the University of Calicut, recently banned seminars relating to Kashmir and the Pahalgam terror attack, citing that they pose a “serious threat to national security.”
Kerala University’s Department of Tamil had planned a seminar on May 9, titled ‘Friday Literary Circle.’ Organisers shared an article ahead of the event that accused the Union government of manipulating nationalist emotions, especially ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. The piece was titled “Pahalgam attack: Truths drowned in nationalist frenzy” and appeared on a Tamil-language website.
When it was brought to Vice Chancellor (VC) Mohanan Kunnummal’s notice, he demanded a written explanation from the head of department (HoD) Hepsy Rose Mary A and the event organiser, Maktoob Media reported.
The HoD replied she was not informed about the event, and the event organiser issued an apology. Following this, VC Kunnumal decided not to take disciplinary action against the two but issued instructions to cancel the event, which he later clarified was taken based on the numerous complaints regarding the seminar.
Additionally, he directed the Registrar to monitor and track such programmes held in future without the knowledge of the respective heads of department. “Those who now call for peace were previously supportive of the Hamas attack on Israel. Such positions are part of a political agenda. It would be inappropriate for the university to permit an event that criticises Operation Sindoor, which was launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack,” he said.
His decision was met with strong criticism. The Students Federation of India (SFI) issued a statement accusing Kunnummal of aligning with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology.
Meanwhile, the University of Calicut cancelled a seminar titled Kashmiriyat and Hyper-Majoritarianism, scheduled on May 15. The EMS Chair for Marxian Studies was slotted to organise the seminar.
However, vice-chancellor P Raveendran, who chairs the EMS Chair, rejected the seminar, citing it was ‘anti-national,’ and he was not intimidated about it in advance. His action was looked at as an act of submission to the Union government and stifling of academic voices.
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