Calicut University, with its headquarters in Thenjippalam, Malappuram District in Kerala, has once again unveiled its aversion towards nationalist ethos. Now, the book “Modi @ 20 : Dreams Meet Delivery” was removed from the display box of the university library. Usually, a new book is displayed from 1st of the month to 15th day. Therefore, students get ample time for seeing it before taking a decision whether to go for a purchase. So if the book is delivered at the campus after 10th of the month, they usually wait until the 16th day so that book could be displayed for 15 days, that is two weeks. In this particular case, they exhibited the book on September 14 and removed on September 15. The library authorities were playing with the time to take the advantage of the deadline of the 15th day of the month! The book is a study on the administration reforms Narendra Modi has been implementing since the last twenty years, both as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and Prime Minister of Bharat. What we saw in the varsity library is nothing but, a blatant embodiment of pro-Jihadi stand of the university authorities.
But, the nationalist forces in the state were not ready to lie down and suffer this humiliation and insult to the Prime Minister of the country. BJP Zonal General Secretary Unnikishnan Master called librarian and warned of dire consequences for this action. He said, the university is in the grip of the religious fundamentalists.
BJP State President K. Surendran told media persons that Calicut varsity surrendered before religious fundamentalists. He warned, varsity will have to face serious consequences. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers staged protest in front of the varsity.
As the protests mounted, varsity revised their step and put the book back in the display box.
This is not the first ever action of this sort from the side of the university. In 2013, Calicut University included the poem “Ode To The Sea” written by Ibrahim al-Rubaish, a former detainee of the Guantanamo Bay, in the text “Literature and Contemporary Study Issues” for the third semester BA/BSc students. The other works in the book were of Kamaladas alias Madhavikkutty, Pablo Neruda, Sylvia Path and others. The introduction of the book kept mum about his detention in Guantanamo Bay jail and his alleged links to Al-Qaeda, the terrorist outfit. But, when a section of teachers and students protested and ABVP threatened strong agitation, varsity withdrew the poem.
Unnikrishnan Master told this correspondent that about a decade before, Prof. Goda Varma Raja, the then Chairman of Folklore Society of Calicut University, and his team decided to carry out Vidyarambham, the initiation of the children to the realm of letters on Vijayadashami Day in the campus. (Vidyarambham : An Acharya guides the children to write Hari Sree Ganapathaye Nama: in the rice spread in a plate. Then Acharaya writes the same on children’s tongue with a gold ornament. It is a traditional auspicious ritual in Kerala). It was notified in newspapers. But, university cancelled the programme, thanks to the stiff opposition from the religious fundamentalists. And, the parents who had registered their wards’ names lost that year’s chance for Vidyarambham. In Kerala children join schools only after Vidyarambham.
Master added that years back university authorities tried to appoint one Abdul Salam, the principal of a higher secondary school, as Vice Chancellor ! But for strong opposition, he would have been appointed !
Dr. Abdul Salam, who had served as the VC of Calicut Varsity for four years, told a channel that it is politically driven. Removing a book on the country’s PM is shameful to the entire state. VC and administrator should have interfered and asked the library people to put the book back.
It is noteworthy, Muslim organisations believe that they are the final authorities in the Calicut Varsity matters. No VC is appointed there sans their nod. They enjoy a cake walk as ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front and (Opposition) Congress-led United Democratic Front compete each other to appease them for enjoying the benefit of Minority Vote Bank Politics.
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