UDF facilitating Sangh agenda in universities, says Pinarayi

Published 5 August 2026 · politics

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday alleged that the United Democratic Front (UDF) government was facilitating the Sangh Parivar’s agenda in Kerala’s higher

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday alleged that the United Democratic Front (UDF) government was facilitating the Sangh Parivar’s agenda in Kerala’s higher education sector by remaining silent on the Governor’s interventions in universities and abandoning the resistance mounted by the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. Addressing a public meeting organised in connection with the golden jubilee of the Kerala University Employees Union here, Mr. Vijayan accused the UDF government of allowing the “saffronisation” of universities by failing to challenge decisions taken through the Chancellor’s office and by endorsing appointments that purportedly advanced the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda. Defending the previous LDF government’s handling of university affairs, Mr. Vijayan said it had repeatedly approached the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court over issues relating to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in universities, including the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the Digital University Kerala.

As a result, the LDF government had then secured favourable judgments in most of the cases. He pointed out that the the apex court had held that the panel for appointing temporary V-Cs should be submitted to the Chief Minister and that the Governor should make appointments according to the order of preference recommended by the Chief Minister. Although the Governor later sought a review of the judgment, the Supreme Court declined to modify its original order, he added. The LDF government had also legally challenged the Governor’s nomination of “Sangh Parivar sympathisers” to the governing bodies of universities. “The Congress had then defended the Governor’s actions. Notably, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president also justified the inclusion of Sangh Parivar supporters, while accepting the Senate nominations offered by the Governor,” he alleged.

Vijayan said the present UDF government had effectively ended the resistance against attempts to “saffronise” universities and was displaying an eagerness to compromise the secular foundations of Kerala’s higher education system. He cited the appointment of a purported leader of a Sangh Parivar-affiliated teachers’ organisation as V-C of Mahatma Gandhi University and the subsequent induction of 19 RSS sympathisers into the university Senate as examples of the alleged shift. The UDF government, he said, had not questioned either development and had instead adopted a supportive stance. The Leader of the Opposition also questioned the Governor’s decision to convene meetings of government officials in connection with the observance of International Yoga Day on university campuses. Such meetings were unconstitutional and beyond the Governor’s authority, he alleged.