KOCHI: The governing council meeting held at the autonomous Maharaja’s College here on Friday decided not to consider the three-member committee’s report on the burning of the Principal’s chair, while observing that the college council could take follow-up action.
A decision of the college council, which met on February 3 to refer the report to the governing council, has evoked protests among teachers. They alleged that efforts were on to hush up the case by limiting disciplinary action to a few activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), thereby sparing teachers who were allegedly involved in the incident.
A senior governing council member said the matter was not on the agenda of the meeting held on Friday. “The college council has the authority to take action against students involved in the incident. But it needs to refer its findings against teachers who were suspected to be involved in the incident to the government,” he said.
The inquiry committee had recommended criminal action against the students and a lecturer of the History department. The report had also called for disciplinary action against 10 other lecturers who had joined the protest. As many as 11 members of the All Kerala Government College Teachers Association, including four from other institutions, were part of the protest, it said.
SFI activists had burnt the Principal’s chair on January 18, alleging that she had made derogatory remarks against some students. The Principal was on leave at the time of the incident.
The governing council meeting re-constituted the academic council, besides setting up sub-committees on finance, planning, and student and staff amenities. The body also constituted committees as part of setting up new boards of studies in various subjects. The governing council also discussed the projects to be implemented utilising the ₹22.5 crore assistance provided by the government. A decision on revising the library timings was also taken at the meeting. Students can utilise the facility from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
