Tussle intensifies at Kerala University as 'two' registrars at work

Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 (IANS) Even as the High Court considers a petition related to Kerala University, Vice Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummel has been working from home for several days because SFI activists are protesting, and two officials are reporting daily for the Registrar's post.

University Registrar Dr K.S. Anil Kumar, who was suspended by the Vice Chancellor, continues to use the official car and arrives on time at the university. The in-charge registrar, Mini Dejo Kappen, is also reporting for the same post as he has been given the charge following Kumar's suspension.

With many of the files in the university office now online, the VC has denied access to Kumar. On Wednesday, an online meeting was called by the VC, which was attended by Kappen, but Kumar was kept out of it.

The VC has called a meeting of the Academic Council on August 14, and Kumar has not received the invite.

The situation has come to this point because of the tussle between the state government and the Governor. The Kerala government is backing Kumar, and the VC gets the support from the Chancellor, Kerala Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar. With the tussle intensifying, the coming days are going to be crucial.

State Higher Education Minister Dr R. Bindhu, who is also the Pro-Chancellor of the Varsity, took potshots at the VC and said the state government is ready to provide police protection to him, and hence he should come to work.

With the VC continuing to work from home, more than 2,000 certificates which require his signature are pending, and the numerous files (physical) are also not being looked into.

The immediate trigger for the VC's action was Kumar's unilateral cancellation of the Governor’s scheduled visit to the Senate Hall for a private function -- a visit that Arlekar eventually attended.

Since then, things have been tense. The regular work of the Varsity office has been affected.

The High Court has posted a petition filed by a BJP syndicate member, who sought police protection to enter the Varsity, for final orders for July 21.

The SFI has been up in arms against the state universities' Chancellor and Kerala Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar. The student wing has been alleging that the Governor is trying to push his 'agenda' to run the state university based on the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and the VC Kunnammel was hand in glove with him.

--IANS

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