KOTTAYAM: Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of the vice chancellor at Mahatma Gandhi University and the governor’s nomination of its senate members, Higher Education Minister Roji M John on Tuesday said the government would not endorse any form of ‘saffronisation’ in the education sector.

Making his stance clear in the senate members’ nominations, Roji told reporters in Kottayam that any attempt to saffronise universities would be firmly resisted. This is the first time that the UDF government has responded to controversies related with V-C’s posting and senate members’ nominations by Governor Rajendra Arlekar.

At the same time, the minister criticised the Left, stating that it was during the LDF government’s tenure that the governor began intervening in the affairs of universities.

“Those who criticise us now should reflect on their tenure. Even reporters of Janmabhoomi were nominated to the Senate and the Syndicate during the LDF regime. Those who are protesting today, what were you doing then” he asked.

Roji also mocked the perceived conflict between the governor and the LDF government, suggesting that it dissipated abruptly following a meeting between the then chief minister and the governor.