The relentless students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut at Kozhikode in Kerala staged a fiery protest on Thursday, February 1 from 5 pm till late at night. This was against the unlawful suspension and acts of assault against Vysakh Premkumar, a fourth-year engineering student of the institute, for organising a 'solo protest' against an alleged undemocratic event organised on the campus on the eve of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir. This was organised by the Science and Spirituality Club.
But this campus protest that witnessed the students of NIT Calicut coming together in a harmonious unity was an occurrence to behold. "It was unlike anything we have witnessed. With chants of Azaadi echoing all around the campus, and the students performing street plays at night with the mimetic performances, we remembered the legacy of Rajan, who died protecting his right to opinion" said Vysakh Premkumar to EdexLive.
According to Wikipedia, P Rajan was a student of the Regional Engineering College, Calicut (Presently NIT Calicut) who was arrested by the Kerala Police in 1976 when a nationwide Emergency was imposed. As Premkumar states, the students revived the spirit of Rajan, who was a singer, actor and used to perform street plays. His song, which is quite popular amongst the students, loosely translates to "Who sits on the golden throne? Is he a fool or is he a dog?" was performed at the time of the protest to express that the voices of the students cannot be suppressed.
"The resistance displayed by the student was a protest via art," said Kailas, who is the speaker of the Student Affairs Council (SAC), and was also assaulted by a group of students inside the campus for raising questions about the organisation of the aforementioned event.
Kailas, a third-year student, shared that the institute witnessed the indomitable spirit of the students who had gathered together on the campus and healthily channelised their angst, without creating any disruption or resorting to violent means.
The fruition of resistance
The decision to suspend Vysakh Premkumar for one year was placed on hold by the authority, informed a circular from the office of the Dean of Students' Welfare, NIT Calicut, released on February 1.
Whilst the students were quick to rejoice, Premkumar reminds that the suspension has been withheld but not withdrawn. "The disciplinary committee headed by the Dean of Students Welfare (DoSW) had decided on my suspension, but I was not given a copy of the charges levied against me that resulted in such a strict punishment."
After writing a letter of appeal to the director, the suspension was revoked as it did not follow the institute's protocol. The SAC speaker, Kailas, commented that the nature of the punishment was strict given that Vysakh was holding a placard against the organisation of the event by the Science and Spirituality Club, which was not violent. "Usually for academic malpractices, students are given a six-month suspension and if repeated, then a year's, but this was not a serious offence, hence, students protested against the decision."
He further adds that such a spectacle of solidarity was a game-changer. He says that it is a major victory for the students at NIT Calicut, the group of students who had resorted to assaulting both Vysakh and himself need to be given justifiable punishment. "I was beaten up by an unidentified group of students the next day after Vysakh was assaulted and received verbal threats as well. I immediately mailed the DoSW, the registrar, and the head of the department, and have also filed a First Information Report (FIR)," stated Kailas.
