NEW DELHI: The Kerala High Court has raised pointed questions about the recently suspended Kerala University Registrar’s classification of “Bharat Mata” as a religious symbol.
Justice N. Nagaresh, presiding over the hearing, asked K. S. Anil Kumar how an image of “Bharat Mata” could amount to a religious emblem, and why its display in a university hall would threaten law and order.
Kumar was suspended on July 2 by Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal, following his order to cancel a private programme at the Senate Hall. The event, organised by the Sree Padmanabha Seva Samithi, was attended by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar—who serves as the University Chancellor—and featured a portrait of “Bharat Mata” bearing a saffron flag. The suspension order accused Kumar of unilaterally revoking the hall sanction mid-event.
Challenging his suspension, Kumar sought an interim stay. The court, however, declined this plea, questioning the underlying rationale. Justice Nagaresh asked, “How ‘Bharat Mata’ was a religious symbol? What was the provocative photograph? And what law and order problem would arise in Kerala
by putting it on display?” Kumar argued that tensions had flared between the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) over the portrait’s display. He also maintained that a university security officer had warned him the image constituted a religious symbol—and thus, under university policy, warranted cancellation of the event.
Kumar further contended that the Vice-Chancellor’s power to suspend the Registrar is limited to genuine emergency situations.
