Kerala chief minister VD Satheesan on Sunday denounced the participation of three vice-chancellors of universities at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event addressed by its chief Mohan Bhagwat, terming it a “grave lapse” and unbecoming of the state’s educational traditions.
<figure class="art
“We view with utmost seriousness the participation of three Vice-Chancellors in an RSS centenary event addressed by Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. This is a grave lapse. Their action is unbecoming of Kerala’s educational tradition and the dignity of their office,” the CM said in a post on X.
The Congress chief minister underlined that the people of the state hold the post of vice-chancellor with great respect and that by attending a programme led by an RSS leader “who preaches extreme communalism”, such VCs have undermined that respect.
“Any act that promotes communalism, whoever commits it, it is unacceptable and will not be condoned. All three vice-chancellors who attended the RSS programme must apologise to the people of Kerala,” he wrote.
Leader of the opposition Pinarayi Vijayan stated that secular Kerala views with “utmost seriousness” the participation of the VCs at the RSS centenary event.
“Debates are happening around the imposition of Sangh Parivar agenda in the state’s universities. It is a clear example of how the RSS is trying to exert its control over the higher education sector in India,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday criticised the CM for condemning the three vice chancellors in Kerala who attended the RSS event and hit out at the Congress-led UDF government for practising “appeasement politics.” In a social media post, Chandrasekhar said the chief minister had no moral authority to lecture others on secularism or constitutional values.
The BJP leader alleged that the UDF government was dependent on the support of organisations that advocated religious politics.
“It is unacceptable that a chief minister who has taken an oath to uphold the law and the Constitution is now intimidating Vice Chancellors for attending a public programme with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat,” he alleged.
“The days of treating the BJP and RSS as a way to fear-monger and mobilise votes are over. People of Kerala now know that when it comes to appeasement politics, the Congress and the CPI(M) are not two, but one,” he alleged.
Kerala University of Health Sciences V-C Mohanan Kunnummal, Mahatma Gandhi University VC-in-charge Mavoothu D and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University VC-in-charge CR Prasad had on Saturday attended a lecture addressed by Bhagwat in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
Bhagwat spoke at the ‘100 years of Sangh journey – New horizons’ organised as part of the RSS centenary celebrations here.
