Terming Khan’s remarks as “harassment”, a bunch of round 50 historians and academicians got here out in assist of Raveendran and mentioned the governor’s assertion was a “false, defamatory and politically motivated campaign”.
“We are shocked to learn from the media that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has described Professor Gopinath Raveendran, Vice Chancellor of Kannur University, Eminent Historian, as a “criminal”. Professor Gopinath Raveendran is among the main historians of India, Agricultural History of Kerala and with specific experience in historic demography,” he mentioned in an announcement.
“He was the Head of the Department of History and Culture at Jamia Millia Islamia Central University, New Delhi, and has been the Member Secretary of the Indian Council of Historical Research. He has additionally been the Director of the Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Jamia Millia Islamia. Vice Chancellor As in, Professor Gopinath Raveendran has uniquely headed the Kannur University,” he added.
The Governor, he mentioned, “the re-appointment of Professor Raveendran as Vice-Chancellor had been questioned in press statements on earlier occasions” however identified that the High Court had dismissed a writ petition looking for the removing of Professor Raveendran from the submit. was demanded.
“The false, defamatory and politically motivated campaign against the Vice Chancellor by the Governor and Chancellor of the University is unacceptable. The governor should immediately stop this harassment of a distinguished historian and vice-chancellor,” the assertion mentioned.
The signatories embrace eminent historians Romila Thapar and KN Pannikar and educationists Prabhat Patnaik, Aditya Mukherjee, Mridula Mukherjee, CP Chandrashekhar, Zoya Hasan and Harbans Mukhiya.
Khan has had a number of clashes with the Kerala authorities since his appointment as governor in 2019. The newest tussle is over his resolution to remain the appointment of KK Ragesh, CPI(M) chief and Priya Varghese, spouse of the chief’s non-public secretary. Minister, on alleged violation of norms and favoritism as Associate Professor within the Department of Malayalam, Kannur University.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
