Ex-college principal files complaint against students

P.V. Pushpaja, who retired as Principal of the Nehru Arts & Science College here, formally lodged a complaint at the Hosdurg police station on Wednesday.

Dr. Pushpaja, in her complaint, blamed three Students Federation of India workers of the college for bursting crackers and distributing sweets among students as a farewell party was progressing on the campus on March 28.

The teacher also referred to footage circulated in social media about posters “conveying condolence to a teacher who had died in the hearts of students”.

Speaking to the media, Dr. Pushpaja said she welcomed the statement of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Assembly that action would be taken against guilty students.

She said no teacher should undergo such a traumatic experience at the end of over three-decade stint as faculty of a reputed institution.

DYFI statement

Meanwhile, the DYFI, in a statement, said a move was on to politicise and blow the issue out of proportion by holding the SFI responsible for the unsavoury act, which it said needed to be condemned.

Stating that the Principal had infringed the “democratic rights” of students in recent years, the DYFI called for an introspection on the reasons behind such instances on college campuses.

It also decried the moves of the college management to approach the Kerala High Court seeking a ban on campus politics in the light of the incident.

On Wednesday, the SFI convened a “resistance meet” on the campus to counter the allegations levelled against it by the Principal, a section of teachers, the KSU, and the district unit of the BJP.

The college had suspended three students, including SFI district committee member Muhammed Anees, in connection with the unsavoury incidents on the campus.