Kottayam: Dr Nandakumar Kalarikkal, who was removed as the director-in-charge of the research centre at the Mahatma Gandhi University after allegations of caste discrimination were raised against him, said that he would face the allegations legally. But the professor said that he would not seek legal action against the university's move to remove him from the responsibilities at the research centre.
The University had removed him from holding the additional charge at the research centre after a woman research scholar went on a huger strike for 11 days against alleged caste discrimination.
"I am saddened that I have been removed from the responsibilities at the university. I have been hounded since 2015 over this issue. I have been working for years to raise the research centre to international standards. I only did my duties as a director," Dr Nandakumar said.
“The norm for entering the lab is applicable for everyone. Just like any student would be warned for not following this, I had also spoken to this student. As the director of the centre, it was my duty to do so. But after those on social media and others took up the issue later, it became a Dalit issue. With that, I have been facing attack from all sides.
"I saw a Facebook post against me by a former researcher. I really don't know why a student, whom I had helped a lot, is raising such a complaint after so many years," the professor added.
Dr Nandakumar, who is a visiting professor at the Nancy University (Nancy-Université) in France, will return to his home state in December.
The woman had claimed Nandakumar had denied her access to laboratory and also deprived her of the necessary materials, like chemicals, required for her research.
Will be back next week: researcher
The research scholar, who was observing the hunger strike, has said that she would be back at the MG University next week to continue with her research. As she is exhausted after the hunger strike, she is recuperating at her home.
The research scholar has been allotted a seat at the School of Chemical Sciences.
