Periyi: Members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) on Tuesday stopped Gunta Laxman, a member of a Sangh Parivar-linked organisation, from attending a Women's Day programmes at the Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod.
Laxman is the joint national organising secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Saikshik Mahasangh (ABSRM). The official invite issued by the CUK for the Women's Day programme at the university is given below:
As per reports, the move to invite him was opposed by students and teachers right from the beginning.
When Vice-Chancellor H Venkateshwarlu informed the university's women's committee about the official invitation extended to Laxman and Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, faculty members opposed it saying that the ABRSM joint secretary hasn't made any contribution to women's cause.
But the VC overruled the dissent and even threatened to remove the opposing member from the committee.
Though Venkateshwarlu backed off from his threat, when the teacher found support from other faculty members, he did not withdraw the invitation to Laxman.
On its official website, ABRSM calls itself a 'sort of professional organisation'...' imbued with Indianness with an aim to propagate the ideology of cultural nationalism in the field of education and society.' (sic)