Thiruvananthapuram: General education minister V Sivankutty seems to be the sharpest weapon the LDF government has unleashed against Governor Rajendra Arlekar. On Thursday, Sivankutty called Kerala University Vice Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummel the "hired gun" of Governor Arlekar. As for the Governor's image of Bharat Mata, the minster had this to say: "You mean that woman holding the saffron flag? Indian Constitution has no mention of this." 

He was responding to the VC's decision to suspend Registrar K S Anil Kumar for "arbitrarily" issuing a notice cancelling an event held at the University Senate Hall on June 25 when the Governor was on stage. The Registrar was also accused of disrespecting the Governor. Sivankutty said that the suspension was not in order. 

"The Registrar is appointed by the Syndicate, and the Syndicate alone has the power to initiate disciplinary action against him," Sivankutty said on Thursday. "Fact is, the VC has no power to even grant leaves that extend beyond 10 days," he said.

The VC, while suspending the Registrar, had said that the action was taken under Rule 10(13) of the Kerala University Act. Here is what section 10(13) says: "If at any time except when the Syndicate or the Academic Council is in session, the Vice-Chancellor is satisfied that an emergency has arisen requiring him to take immediate action involving the exercise of any power vested in the Syndicate or the Academic Council by or under this Act the Vice-Chancellor may take such action as he deems fit, and shall, at the next session of the Syndicate or the Academic Council, as the case may be, report the action taken by him to that authority for such action as it may consider necessary."

Though the VC can act "as he deems fit" in an emergency, Sivankutty said that another clause - section 10(14) - had circumscribed even this power of the VC. "The VC can initiate disciplinary proceedings against officials only up to the assistant registrar," Sivankutty said.

Here is what Section 10(14) says: "The Vice-Chancellor shall have power to appoint, suspend, dismiss or otherwise punish any member of the establishment of the University below the rank of Deputy Registrar." The suspended Registrar has said that he would approach the court against the VC's action. 

Sivankutty also disputed the VC's claim that the notice cancelling the event was issued when the Governor was on the stage. "The order was issued long before, but the organisers of the event refused to accept the notice. Following this, the notice was mailed to them," the minister said.  

He blamed the Governor for the chaos at the Senate Hall. "The Governor came to the event even knowing fully well that the venue had become a conflict zone," Sivankutty said.

He also turned on its head the VC's charge that the Registrar had disrespected the Governor. "In reality, it was the Governor who had violated University rules. It will not be way off the mark if one feels that a person holding a constitutional post has become a habitual offender. The Governor participated in the programme even after knowing that the event was formally cancelled," Sivankutty said.