Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, June 29, 2025 – A deepening administrative crisis is engulfing Kerala University as Vice Chancellor Dr. Mohan Kunnummel has rejected the initial explanation provided by Registrar Dr. K.S. Anilkumar regarding the disruption of Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar’s program on June 25. The event, “Emergency @ 50” and a book release, held at the Kerala University Senate Hall, was marred by protests and an alleged last-minute cancellation of permission by the Registrar, leading to a direct demand for explanation from the Governor’s office.
The controversy stems from an event organised by Shree Padmanabha Seva Samiti, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Emergency declaration. During the program, a portrait of ‘Bharat Mata’ holding a saffron flag was displayed, igniting protests from student groups, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the ruling CPI(M), and the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of the Congress party. These groups deemed the image politically and religiously inappropriate for a university campus.
Following a direct communication from Raj Bhavan seeking an explanation for the chaotic scenes, Vice Chancellor Dr. Mohan Kunnummel swiftly instructed Registrar Dr. K.S. Anilkumar to submit a detailed report on his role in the incident. Specifically, the Registrar was asked to clarify his actions, including the decision to file a police complaint against the organizers, Shree Padmanabha Seva Samiti.
Dr. Anilkumar submitted his explanation on June 28, but it reportedly lacked clarity, particularly concerning his assertion that he intervened due to the display of “religious symbols.” Vice Chancellor Dr. Kunnummel, unsatisfied with this vague response, has demanded a further, more precise explanation. The Registrar’s clarifications that he intervened after complaints from students and security personnel about “religious symbols” and called the police as a “riot was likely to take place” have been deemed insufficient by the Vice Chancellor. Dr. Kunnummel has specifically sought a clear definition of what constituted these “religious symbols.” The Registrar also stated that the ADC of the Governor called Raj Bhavan, rather than him initiating contact, a point that still needs further clarification.
Sources indicate that the Registrar’s explanation also failed to provide crucial details, such as the specific reasons for canceling the permission previously granted to Shree Padmanabha Seva Samiti to use the Senate Hall. He reportedly did not furnish a copy of the cancellation order nor did he adequately explain the parameters used for control once the Senate Hall’s use was sanctioned. Furthermore, his report allegedly omitted the rationale and circumstances behind filing a police complaint against the event organizers, if one was indeed filed.
In a parallel development, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) along with certain Syndicate members, have called for a review of Dr. K.S. Anilkumar’s appointment as the Kerala University Registrar. Syndicate members Dr. Vinodkumar, T.G. Nair, and P.S. Gopakumar publicly stated on June 28 in Thiruvananthapuram that they had previously highlighted improprieties during the discussion for Dr. Anilkumar’s reappointment.
It has come to light that Dr. Anilkumar was initially appointed as the Kerala University Registrar in 2021 while he was serving as the principal of Sasthamkotta Devaswom Board College. This appointment reportedly occurred under a CPI(M)-dominated Syndicate. Critics, including the aforementioned Syndicate members, argue that the Kerala University Statutes do not permit the appointment of a Professor from a government-aided private college to the position of University Registrar. This statutory contention now adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing controversy surrounding Dr. Anilkumar’s tenure and actions.
