Kerala V-C mock funeral row: SFI claims protest was about damaged theatre lights

The controversy over an alleged mock funeral of the Vice-Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) in Kerala continued on Thursday, with the Students' Federation of India (SFI) maintaining that the protest was a symbolic demonstration against damaged equipment in the Department of Theatre.

The incident took place on August 13 at the main campus in Kalady, while a meeting of the re-constituted Syndicate, convened by Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas, was underway. The SFI activists reportedly staged a march during the meeting, carrying spotlights and enacting funeral scenes. Video recordings of the visuals soon went viral on social media, inviting sharp criticism from various quarters.

The federation has been leading an agitation for over four weeks, pressing demands that include filling faculty vacancies and addressing infrastructure shortcomings. According to the SFI leadership, the theatre students' performance was intended to highlight the poor condition of the spotlights they have to use for their coursework.

SFI State Secretary P. S. Sanjeev told mediapersons that the students had staged a symbolic protest over the damaged lighting equipment. He alleged that a deliberate attempt was being made to portray the performance as a mock funeral of the Vice-Chancellor. "There is an attempt to threaten the students by trying to silence their protests," he said.

However, Vice-Chancellor Thomas has filed a complaint with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, stating that a dummy effigy representing her was taken out and subjected to a mock funeral. According to her complaint, the protestors performed Christian funeral rites, with slogans and cries announcing and mocking her purported death, after which the dummy was cremated. She also noted that portions of the recording were circulated on social media.

The protest drew condemnation from the state government. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said it was not appropriate for a civilised society and could not be accepted. Higher Education Minister Roji M. John termed it an "uncivilised protest".

In connection with the incident, the police registered two separate cases and arrested four SFI activists. The activists were granted bail on Wednesday.

The episode has reignited the political slugfest in the state, with the SFI accusing opponents of using the incident to defame the student movement. The university, meanwhile, has seen an ongoing festering discontent over issues of staffing and infrastructure, which the federation claims have not been adequately addressed by the administration.

While the SFI has insisted that its actions were symbolic and not aimed at any individual, the Vice-Chancellor's complaint and the government's criticism indicate a hardening of positions. The campus, which witnessed a tense situation during the syndicate meeting, has returned to normal, but the political and legal fallout is likely to continue. The SFI's demand for filling faculty vacancies and improving infrastructure remains unresolved, and the student body has indicated that it will persist with its agitation.