Kerala University V-C’s Vande Mataram remark kicks up row
Kerala University Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal faced backlash after remarking that those who oppose singing 'Vande Mataram' do not know their mother. The V-C clarified that his comments referred to the concept of the motherland, but student groups have condemned the statement.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the sensitivity of nationalist rhetoric in Indian academic spaces and the friction between political ideologies and institutional leadership.
University of Kerala Vice-Chancellor in-charge Mohanan Kunnummal courted controversy again on Saturday when he remarked that those opposing singing of Vande Mataram did not know who their mother was. Mr. Kunnummal was delivering the Independence Day message at Sankalp 2026, a gathering of youth organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, here on Saturday.
‘Unbecoming of his position’: Minister Roji M. John slams Kerala University V-C Mohanan Kunnummal for attending RSS event
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