For the first time in the political history of Kerala, an open war has erupted between Arif Mohammed Khan, the Governor and the State administration. In an unprecedented action, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan froze the decision of the CPI(M) controlled Kannur University appointing the wife of a party bigwig as associate professor violating all norms and qualifications prescribed by the University itself.
Prof Gopinath Raveendran, a CPI(M) fellow traveller, who is the vice chancellor of the Kannur University was issued a show cause notice by the Governor on Wednesday evening asking why action should not be taken against the former for the blatant violation of all norms. “So long as I remain the Chancellor of the University, I will not allow close relations of the powerful and mighty to be appointed anywhere in the government services that come under the jurisdiction of the Governor,” said Governor Khan late Wednesday evening before boarding the aircraft for New Delhi.
Priya Varghese, who has been appointed as the associate professor of the department of Malayalam, Kannur University, is the wife of K K Ragesh, private secretary to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. According to the memorandum submitted by the Save University Forum, an independent body of academicians and researchers, Varghese does not have either the University mandated teaching or research experience. “We were shocked to learn from the vice-chancellor that she was awarded the first rank in the interview despite her not qualifying in the other modes of selection. This is an open violation of the rules prescribed by the University Grants Commission,” a representative of Save University Forum told The Pioneer.
Sources close to the Governor told this newspaper that he was thoroughly disappointed and dejected with the politicisation and favouritism employed in the appointment to University posts. Rajbhavan sources made it clear that the Vice Chancellor was engaged in a losing battle as the show cause notice was issued under Article 7 of the Kannur University Act.
Kerala’s cultural landscape got a jolt on Thursday morning as Dr M Rajeev Kumar, eminent literary critic and well known writer, who has exposed many underhand dealings in the educational department came out in the open appreciating the Governor for his bold decision and lambasting the State administration for the faux pas. “The intervention of party leaders ensured that the teaching experience of less than 18 months was portrayed as eight years. She was engaged in clerical works in State Language Institute and whatever she had published were carried by the Vignana Kairali, a journal which is not even read by its editor,” said Dr Rajeev Kumar, himself a left ideologue.
Dr Rajeev Kumar said even if the Courts uphold the decision of the vice-chancellor citing technicalities, it is a great development that the State got a Governor which it deserved. “We have instances of Governors in the past who misused their position to get their wards admitted for MBBS courses in the State’s Medical Colleges. Governor Khan has brought a refreshing experience to the rotten State administration by his no-nonsense approach,” said Dr Rajeev Kumar.
At the time of going to Press, Dr Gopinatha Raveendran, the vice chancellor who is no stranger to the world of controversies as his fights with the Sangh Parivar indicate, was presiding over the Syndicate Meeting as Kannur which is likely to throw the show cause notice to the dustbin. More interesting developments are on the anvil.