Kochi/Kalady: The row over the suspension of 16 SFI activists at Kalady Sanskrit University has escalated further as Maharaja's College council suspended its union chairman V Prinil Raj and vice-chairperson Nafeesathul Misri for disrupting the college's graduation ceremony during an SFI protest last week.

The protest during the convocation, attended by Higher Education Minister Roji M John, led to a heated exchange between the minister and the protesters. A meeting of the college council also decided to appoint Vice-Principal Dr S Jaya to probe the episode.

At Kalady Sanskrit University, the syndicate has extended the suspension of four students by two months over the August protest against Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas. It also decided to reinstate the remaining 12 suspended students if they submit letters of apology.

The decisions followed a review of the disciplinary committee's inquiry report, which confirmed that the protesters had held a symbolic funeral of the Vice-Chancellor as part of their agitation. The report also noted that the four students facing an extended suspension had repeatedly disrupted campus activities and defied the ban on entering the university premises.

Meanwhile, a Kerala High Court Division Bench comprising Justices Anil K Narendran and S Muralikrishna is scheduled to pronounce its verdict on Tuesday on an appeal filed by the university and the Vice-Chancellor against a single-judge order allowing all 16 suspended students to appear for their examinations. The exams are scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

Inquiry report confirms students' role
The syndicate-appointed inquiry committee confirmed that all 16 suspended students had taken part in the protests held in August. It concluded that the assault on Vice-Chancellor Dr Ciza Thomas had taken place and described the SFI's protest as undemocratic. The panel also recommended a meeting of student organisations to prevent recurring campus unrest. However, two syndicate members recorded their dissent against the report.

The issue triggered a heated exchange during an online syndicate meeting, with MLA representative K Premkumar demanding an urgent discussion on the suspensions. The Vice-Chancellor insisted that the inquiry report be taken up first, leading to an argument after which Premkumar walked out of the meeting in protest.

Students reject apology condition
The suspended students, however, have refused to submit apology letters, rejecting the condition set by the syndicate for their reinstatement. Three of them have also launched a hunger strike at the university gate, while the Sanskrit University Protection Committee organised a march to the university headquarters demanding that the students be allowed to write their examinations.

Reacting to the controversy, Higher Education Minister Roji M John said he did not need lessons from the CPM on the incidents at Kalady Sanskrit University, as he was fully aware of what had happened. He also alleged that the positions taken by those involved showed who was siding with the Sangh Parivar. “I am not against the protest. Let them protest anywhere, whether at the office or at home,” he said.