08, Oct 2015

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Oct 08, 2015, DHNS
The politics over food continued to trigger dissent in beef-loving Kerala as attempts to organise more “beef festivals” were made by college students on Wednesday leading to opposition from college authorities.
There were minor clashes and at least 10 students were suspended in Kottayam.
Meanwhile, an assistant professor of Sree Kerala Varma College (SKVC) in Thrissur facing a management probe for backing a beef festival organised at the college – in protest against the lynching of Mohammed Akhlaq in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh – reiterated her support for the protest.
At the CMS College in Kottayam, clashes were reported after Principal Roy Sam Daniel denied permission to Students Federation of India (SFI) activists to organise a beef festival in the campus. The Principal said permission for the protest was denied considering possibilities of tension between SFI and ABVP activists in the college.
Ten students were suspended in connection with the incident. Similar clashes were reported from Sree Narayana College in Vatakara in Kozhikode district following attempts to organise a beef festival in the college.
T S Deepa Nisanth, assistant professor in Malayalam at SKVC, submitted a formal explanation to the college management in connection with her Facebook post in which she supported a beef festival organised by SFI activists in the campus on October 1.
Speaking to reporters, Deepa said she stood by what she said in her post. The Cochin Devaswom Board that runs the college had directed the college authorities to seek an explanation from Deepa on the incident.