Latest news with #SreePadmanabhaSevaSamiti
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
High court refuses to stay suspension of KU registrar
Kochi: Kerala high court on Friday refused to stay the suspension order of Kerala University registrar KS Anil Kumar issued by the vice-chancellor (VC) and asked the university to file its response in the case saying the institution seems to have a view different from that of the VC. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The bench of Justice N Nagaresh passed the order on a petition filed by Kumar challenging his suspension and adjourned the matter to Monday for a detailed hearing. VC Mohanan Kunnummal had suspended Kumar on July 2 for allegedly insulting the governor who is also the chancellor of the university in connection with a private event held at the university's Senate Hall in Thiruvananthapuram. The controversy began with a seminar held by Sree Padmanabha Seva Samiti on June 25 to mark the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Emergency in India. Just before the event started, Kumar cancelled earlier permission to use the Senate Hall saying the organizers had broken rules by displaying a picture of Bharat Mata on stage. The governor was the chief guest at the event. Kunnummal later suspended Kumar saying the cancellation was made after the programme had already started with the governor on stage. In his petition, Kumar said students from different political groups had got into a heated exchange and the display of the picture on stage had created a threat of violence. He said he had asked the organizers to take down the picture but they went ahead with the function. As the situation worsened and students allegedly started pushing and assaulting one another he said he had no choice but to cancel the permission. During the hearing, the petitioner cited a report by the university's PRO who had inspected the venue. The report said organizers had broken rules by displaying religious symbols. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The petitioner said a photo of a lady holding a saffron flag was placed prominently at the centre of the stage garlanded and decorated with flowers. He said the image seemed to be that of a Hindu goddess. At this point, the court asked what religious symbol the petitioner claimed to have seen and which photograph displayed by Padmanabha Samiti could provoke communal riots in Kerala. The court said it was unfortunate that the petitioner was describing Bharat Mata as a lady holding a flag. 'VC has no power to suspend registrar' The senior counsel for the petitioner challenged the suspension order saying the VC had no power under the university statute to suspend the registrar. Only the university syndicate can take disciplinary action against senior officials. The counsel said the VC can act only against deputy registrars and those in lower posts. In response, the court said orally that the VC does have the power to suspend but the action must be placed before the syndicate for approval. The bench said the petitioner should not have handled the issue in such a way especially as the governor was present at the programme.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Time of India
RSS workers booked for attacking cameraman during clash at university senate hall
Thiruvananthapuram: Cantonment police booked as many as seven RSS workers on Sunday for attacking the cameraman of a news channel. The incident occurred while he was covering the scuffle that happened during an event organised to mark the 50th anniversary of Emergency at university senate hall on June 25. Sajin Lal, 25, of Thycaud, was attacked while filming the accused attacking a KSU member during the conflicts. The event, organised by Sree Padmanabha Seva Samiti, waded into controversy over a Bharat Mata portrait displayed on the stage. Following this, there was a clash between RSS members and KSU and SFI activists. While filming the clash, the accused RSS workers approached Lal and confronted him. When he introduced himself as a news cameraman, the accused snatched his camera and threw it away. Later, one of the accused allegedly hit him on the face with an iron bangle. Following this, Lal was hospitalised. Police booked the identifiable accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 296 (b) for abusing, 126 (2) for wrongful restraint, 115 (2) for voluntarily causing hurt, 118 (1) for voluntarily causing grievous hurt using a weapon or dangerous means and 351 (2) for criminal intimidation.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kerala University to seek legal recourse for clashes during Governor's event
Kerala University has decided to initiate legal proceedings over the ruckus that unfolded during a function attended by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday. The Cantonment police have registered cases in connection with the clash that erupted outside the Senate Hall on the university premises during an event organised by Sree Padmanabha Seva Samiti. Activists of the Students Federation of India, Kerala Students Union and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad were engaged in confrontation, prompting forceful measures from the police. The university has submitted a letter to the State Police Chief, seeking a detailed investigation into the issue triggered by the 'Bharat Mata' controversy. Accusing the organisers of defying university guidelines, official sources pointed out that the venue had been temporarily allocated for the event after acceptance of rules, which included not indulging in 'religious worship, speeches, or discourses.' 'However, when it came to the attention of the authorities that the organisers violated this condition, the Registrar intervened and requested that the event be stopped immediately. The organisers were informed that the permission for the hall would be revoked if they continued with the 'religious' programme. Subsequently, the university cancelled the permission to use the hall. The Registrar's complaint to the State Police Chief was based on the unauthorised use of the hall, with the organisers violating the university's secular stance,' the university stated. It has also been decided to seek compensation for the damages sustained on its premises as a result of the clashes. The university's Engineering wing has been tasked with evaluating the extent of the destruction. Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu on Thursday (June 26) condemned the actions of the Governor and accused him of attempting to introduce partisan politics into the academic environment. 'Universities must be spaces that promote secularism, where students and teachers from all walks of life, irrespective of their religion or caste, come together to learn and teach. These institutions must remain free from any political interference,' she asserted. The Minister also expressed concern over the negative repercussions that could arise from such actions, warning that the promotion of divisive ideologies within the university system would have far-reaching consequences for society as a whole. BJP-backed Syndicate members in the Kerala University, Vinodkumar T.G. Nair and P.S. Gopakumar, demanded the suspension of the Registrar for purportedly colluding with Left-aligned Syndicate members to disrupt the event. They also accused the official of misrepresenting facts to the Raj Bhavan.
