Casteist remarks: SFI demands Kerala University Sanskrit dept heads resignation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: SFI members on Monday organised a protest against C N Vijayakumari, the head of the Sanskrit department of the Kerala University (KU), over her alleged castiest remarks against a research scholar. Demanding her resignation, the students burned her in effigy and took down the professors name board from her office. The SFI activists also raised slogans against Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal, alleging that Vijayakumari indulges in anti-student activities with his support. They also said that she is a key member of the Sangh Parivar. The students marched through the campus carrying banners calling for Vijayakumaris removal from her official position. Though the police tried to prevent the protesters from entering the department, they failed. The SFI has decided to intensify its protest and the outfits university sub-committee will organise a march on November 12, when the University Senate will meet. Meanwhile, allegations against Vijayakumari continue to pour in. Multiple students and research scholars on the campus have stated that Vijayakumari has shown an Islamophobic attitude in several instances. In one instance, the professor commented that a Muslim student was able to enrol in a Sanskrit course only because of reservations, a student said. The Muslim students family has refused to talk about the incident even as another student alleged that Vijayakumari has shown a scornful attitude towards the students wearing a headscarf. The row began when Vijayakumari, allegedly hurled casteist slurs at Vipin Vijayan, a Dalit research scholar at KU. The SFI leader, who filed a complaint with the Sreekaryam police, said the unfortunate incident happened when he met the professor after she refused to sign his thesis after his open defence. A student who attended the open defence said that Vipins final oral examination session saw unusual practices with Vijayakumari intervening even after the three-membered committee announced to award a PhD to Vipin.