Kerala Governor trying to 'legitimise' saffron-flag-carrying 'Bharat Mata': Minister Bindu

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu on Tuesday accused Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar of using his constitutional position to "legitimise" a 'Bharat Mata' portrait usually seen in RSS events and of "deliberately provoking" an "unnecessary controversy" in the state.

The minister also hit out at Kerala University Vice Chancellor (VC) Mohanan Kunnummal, appointed by the Arlekar in his capacity as Chancellor, accusing him of taking "arbitrary and autocratic" decisions and of being uninterested in improving the academic quality of the varsity.

In an interview with PTI, Bindu said it was "wrong on the part of the Governor" to put up, in the Raj Bhavan, the saffron-coloured flag carrying the 'Bharat Mata' portrait.

The Left government and the Raj Bhavan are at loggerheads over the particular portrait of Bharat Mata in question used by the Governor.

Bindu claimed that "mature persons" should try to avoid such situations, which could create "unnecessary controversies".

"Putting up that portrait at the Raj Bhavan by the Governor, who holds a constitutional position, is an attempt to legitimise it. That is wrong in itself. Then trying to bring it into a university was also not right." "Is it not better to avoid such symbols or portraits in events the Governor is attending, as he holds a constitutional position? In a manner of speaking, it was a deliberate provocation to create an unnecessary controversy. Mature persons should try to avoid creating such situations," the minister said.

She was referring to a private programme organised by a religious outfit and attended by the Governor at the Kerala University Senate Hall, where a portrait of Bharat Mata holding a saffron flag was displayed.

The minister said that Registrar K S Anil Kumar ordered cancellation of the event, concerned that the display of the portrait might lead to unnecessary conflict or agitation on the university campus.

"But he was suspended over it without following due process. He was neither issued a show-cause notice nor was his explanation sought before taking that action against him.

"Moreover, the VC has no right to suspend him, as according to the University Act and rules, it is the Syndicate that is the Registrar's appointing authority," Bindu said.

The minister opined that the VC might be acting on the instructions of the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of universities in the state, as part of the alleged attempts to implement the "saffronisation agenda" in the varsities.

She said that the protests at the university campus by various Left-affiliated student and youth organisations—like All India Students' Federation (AISF), Students' Federation of India (SFI), and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI)—were an outcome of the VC's 'arbitrary' decision to suspend the Registrar.

"All these protests began as a result of that. It all could have been avoided," she added.

She further said that when the Syndicate revoked the Registrar's suspension, the VC disregarded that and appointed another Registrar in Anil Kumar's place.

Terming the VC's move as "illegal", Bindu said that under the statute—the Kerala University Act of 1974—only the Syndicate has the power to appoint a Registrar.

"It is the VC who is taking arbitrary and autocratic decisions. He is the one using muscle power. The truth is, he is not interested in improving the academic quality of the university," she charged.

The minister was referring to Kunnummal's recent allegations that the Left-dominated Syndicate and student and youth outfits of the ruling CPI(M) "threatened to physically attack" him if he stepped into the varsity campus.

He had also alleged that the law and order situation had collapsed at Kerala University and that "hooligans" were trying to control it using "muscle power".

Rejecting the VC's allegations, the minister said that the police were there to protect him and that there was no law and order issue on the campus.

"We all face threats. That does not mean we stop doing our duties. The police are there. Protests in university campuses are not something new. It is less now. When we were students, there were protests almost every day," she contended.

Bindu said that a letter against the actions of VC Kunnummal was being prepared and would be handed over to the Governor once it is ready.

She also rejected Kunnummal's claims that CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan supported the protests and that his backing led to the agitation becoming "lawless." The minister said that the Left student organisations have considerable support in the state and do not require the backing of the CPI(M) state secretary to hold protests.

"Therefore, there is no need to drag him into the issue," she added.

The Kerala University has seen dramatic scenes and unprecedented protests by the Left student and youth outfits since the beginning of the month, following the suspension of the Registrar by Kunnummal.

The minister also questioned Kunnummal's qualification to be VC of the university, saying that he was "a medical doctor and did not have a PhD or a postgraduate degree in any of the disciplines taught at the university." He, like some other VCs, was appointed by the Chancellor without consulting the government—a move termed "illegal.

Referring to the Kerala High Court order declaring the temporary appointments of two VCs as "unsustainable", the minister said said it supports the government's stand that such appointments are "harmful to universities and cannot be permitted."