Kerala film institute director facing casteism allegations resigns

K R Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts (KRNNIVSA) director Shankar Mohan, who faced allegations of caste discrimination, tendered his resignation on Saturday.

Even as students of the Kottayam-based institute in Kerala have been staging a stir since December 5 demanding his removal, Mohan told reporters that his resignation was not due to the protests. He said his three-year tenure as the director ended, so he put his papers.

Representatives of the students' council leading the stir said a meeting with Higher Education Minister R Bindu would likely happen on Sunday. A decision on whether to continue the stir would be taken later.

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A panel comprising former chief secretary K Jayakumar and National University of Advanced Legal Studies former vice-chancellor N K Jayakumar appointed by the government to inquire into the allegations had submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last week.

While the students alleged that Mohan discriminated towards students from backward communities by denying them admission and other benefits, a section of women cleaning staff alleged that the director compelled them to do cleaning work at his house and showed casteist discrimination.

Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, the institute's chairman, also invited the ire of the students as he backed Mohan and made insulting remarks against the agitating students and staff. Recently Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM politburo member M A Baby supported Gopalakrishnan, triggering concerns among the students.