A controversy has broken out at Kerala University after Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal ordered the cancellation of a seminar on the Pahalgam terror attack, citing concerns over its content and potential political impact.
The seminar, organized by the Department of Tamil and scheduled for May 9, was intended to explore the Pahalgam attack, alleged security failures, and possible links between the incident and the upcoming Bihar elections.
Although the department frequently hosts discussions on diverse topics, this particular seminar drew scrutiny after a research scholar shared a Tamil-language article in a WhatsApp group. The article, titled “Pahalgam attack: Truths drowned in nationalist frenzy,” examined the incident in depth and implied political motives around the elections, India Today reported.
Upon learning of the seminar, Dr Kunnummal directed the university registrar to halt the event and requested an explanation from the Head of the Department of Tamil. The Head of Department (HOD) clarified that the seminar was the initiative of a PhD scholar, who had posted the article.
A memo was subsequently issued to the scholar, who apologised for the incident. The Department of Tamil decided to drop the topic from the discussion entirely.
However, the situation escalated during the Kerala University Syndicate meeting the next day. Members aligned with the Left criticized the Vice-Chancellor, accusing him of trying to distort the narrative.
They noted that the scholar had shared the article prior to the launch of the Operation Sindoor counter-terror operation, casting doubt on the VC’s intentions. BJP members in the syndicate, however, opposed these allegations.
The controversy intensified when the Student Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), condemned the Vice-Chancellor for what they saw as an attempt to suppress free speech.
The SFI alleged that Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal was targeting students by branding them anti-national for political purposes. They criticized him for promoting the ideology of the RSS and questioned the legitimacy of such figures judging students' patriotism. The organization also accused the Vice-Chancellor of eroding student independence and silencing dissenting voices.