Students protest RSS-linked leader's presence at Vande Mataram seminar in Kerala university, three injured

Students at the Central University of Kerala (CUK) staged a sustained protest on Tuesday, October 6. They opposed the participation of J. Nandakumar, national convener of an RSS-linked organisation, at a national seminar marking the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. The clash left three people injured.

Student organisations including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), NSUI, the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF) came together to oppose the seminar. It was organised in collaboration with the Sahitya Akademi, an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Culture, the Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad and the university itself, at the university's library seminar hall.

The protest stretched on for nearly three hours. Students raised slogans against the RSS and demanded that Nandakumar not be allowed to address the gathering. "Every university in Kerala is rejecting this programme because of its connection to the RSS," said Niyathithara A.L., president of the SFI's CUK unit. The SFI had earlier declared it would physically block Nandakumar from entering the university if he arrived. The NSUI alleged the seminar was part of a broader effort to "saffronise" the institution and vowed to continue its "democratic protests" against it.

The demonstration escalated into a physical confrontation. Protesting students attempted to force their way into the venue, engaging in push-and-pull with police deployed at the site. Students also alleged that many of them had been denied entry to the programme despite having registered beforehand. A university official who identified himself as the Dean of Student Affairs told reporters he was unaware why registered students were being turned away. He said he would need to raise the matter with the event's organisers.

Inside the venue, Nandakumar reportedly used his address to criticise India's post-1947 political leadership, even as students continued to protest outside. The university has not issued a formal statement addressing either the entry restrictions or the injuries sustained during the clash. The seminar's valedictory session is scheduled for October 7, with Kerala and Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar attending as chief guest.