NIT-C students worried over cancellation of ‘Tathva’, ‘Ragam’
Authorities postponed both festivals after student protests rocked the NIT-C in the wake of action against Vysakh Premkumar, a final-year-student, following his opposition to an event on the campus to mark the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya
Students of the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C) are aggrieved over the cancellation of the annual techno-management festival titled ‘Tathva’ and the cultural festival titled ‘Ragam’, in the 2023-24 academic year.
For, they are the fundraisers and organisers of both the prestigious events in which hundreds from campuses across the country participate. Pro-shows featuring professional artistes at these festivals attract huge crowds every year with celebrities marking their presence. Tathva is usually held in October and Ragam, in memory of the institute’s former student P. Rajan who disappeared in police custody during the Emergency, in March.
The organisers claimed that they had begun preparations for Tathva in August itself. They had also arranged funds to the tune of around ₹60 lakh through sponsorships and from other students. However, they alleged that the authorities kept on delaying permission for venues for the event on the campus. When there was no solution in sight, a section of them approached the Kerala High Court in December, which issued an order in their favour.
But the authorities postponed both the festivals after student protests rocked the NIT-C in the wake of action against Vysakh Premkumar, a final-year-student, in January. The action against Mr. Premkumar followed his opposition to an event on the campus to mark the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya.
Since then, the organisers of Tathva have been a worried lot. They are being asked to return the funds collected from sponsors as well as the money arranged by the students. The authorities reportedly refused to reimburse the amount, saying they had not given permission to hold it. The students were also reportedly asked why a cultural festival in the memory of a “Naxalite” should be held.
The NIT-C authorities could not be reached for comments. However, sources close to them said there had been charges of misappropriation of funds by the students in previous years, which was among the reasons for the denial of permission to hold the festivals.
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