Kerala University Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal has barred the university’s students’ union from using the name Intifada for the upcoming youth festival.
The controversy surrounding the arts festival, slated to be held in Thiruvananthapuram from March 7 to 11, appears likely to become another flashpoint in Professor Kunnummal’s tussle with the Syndicate and Left-aligned students’ organisations.
The term, which stands for rebellion, has been associated with the armed uprisings of Palestine against Israel’s occupation in West Bank and Gaza Strip. In line with the pro-Palestine political stance of Left parties, the students’ union had decided to name the annual festival Intifada with a tagline “cultural resistance against colonialism”.
However, the choice waded into controversy after a college student in Nilamel in Kollam moved the Kerala High Court against the name. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad also came out against the move, accusing the Students Federation of India of attempting to “legitimise extremist and terror terminologies”.
Rejecting explanations that had been submitted by the Director of Students Services and the chairman of the students’ union, Professor Kunnummal found the latter to have erred in choosing a word that is synonymous with Palestine’s armed uprisings and could have implications on the country’s foreign policy.
In a note issued to the Registrar, the Vice-Chancellor has stated that the youth festival should be used to promote arts and culture, and not made a platform to propagate ideologies. “Freedom of expression has its own limitations. It cannot be used to hurt others and destroy the peace and harmony on the campus,” he said.
Cautioning such actions could lead to a legal conundrum, Professor Kunnummal added the university’s reputation can be badly affected with the conduct of the event under such controversial circumstances. “On the other hand, nobody will be affected, no controversy will be created and none’s sentiments would be hurt, even if no specific name is given to the youth festival.”
With directions issued to remove the word Intifada from all banners, posters, fliers, social media handles etc, the festival will be called Kerala University Youth Festival for the time being, the note has stated.
