Chair burning: new panel to record students’ statements

Action to be initiated against students on the basis of the three-member committee report

KOCHI: The newly constituted three-member committee of teachers of Maharaja’s College will record the statements of as many as 10 students belonging to the Students Federation of India (SFI) as part of the probe into the burning of the Principal’s chair on January 18.

A meeting of the college council here decided that a final decision on disciplinary action against students involved in the incident would be taken on the basis of the report of the committee. Notices have been issued to SFI activists asking as to why action should not be taken against them for burning the Principal’s chair. They had resorted to the act protesting against the alleged “moral policing” by the Principal.

The meeting also decided to forward a report on the incident prepared by an earlier committee to the Directorate of Collegiate Education seeking legal and disciplinary action against seven faculty members affiliated to the All Kerala Government College Teachers Association (AKGCTA) for their alleged involvement in the incident.

According to the report, as many as 11 members of the association, including seven lecturers at the college, had organised a rally on the campus before SFI activists barged into the Principal’s room and forcibly took her chair before burning it at the main entrance to the college. The council also handed over the report to the police for follow-up action.

The report had identified as many as 10 students of the college, including the union chairman and a member, among those involved in the incident. Besides, six policemen were present at the time of the incident.

The report also termed the protest staged by SFI activists and some AKGCTA members illegal as they had served no prior notice to the Principal. Incidentally, the Principal was on leave at the time of the incident.

The act drew widespread criticism, following which the SFI expelled three of its members — Vishnu Suresh, Afridi K.F., and Prajith K. Babu. Later, the Ernakulam central police arrested Rohit Ronson, Mohammed Ameer, and Prajith on a complaint.