Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala University syndicate has declined to cancel the affiliation of Kerala Law Academy Law College as the CPM representatives in the syndicate voted against a resolution moved by the UDF representatives. This even triggered tension on the university premises. During the syndicate meeting on Monday, the UDF moved a resolution demanding that the affiliation of the college should be cancelled without affecting the future of the current students.
However, 12 members, including CPM representatives and officials, voted against the resolution, while only eight voted for it. The CPI members also took a stand that the affiliation should be cancelled. The CPM representatives said that there was no circumstance to cancel the affiliation as the syndicate had already initiated actions like debarring of principal Lekshmi Nair for five years. But the UDF members demanded steps to take over the entire land from Law Academy management.
CPI members also supported the stand. This led to heated arguments in the meeting. Vice-chancellor K.S. Radhakrishnan kept off the meeting and hence it was presided over by pro-vice-chancellor N. Veeramanikandan. This also triggered protests. After the syndicate meeting, KSU, AIYF and other students unions staged a protest in front of the university. The police chased away the agitators using water cannons. The syndicate also ratified a recommendation of the examination committee to constitute a sub-committee to probe the various complaints regarding granting of internal marks and conduct of examinations.
There were allegations that students who were close to Lekshmi Nair were given almost full internal marks and the syndicate sub-committee had already found it to be prima facie true. Meanwhile, Lekshmi Nair submitted a petition to the state police chief seeking action against a malicious campaign against her in the social media. She alleged that some quarters were spreading even morphed pictures to malign her. The state police chief referred the complaint to the cyber wing for investigation.
