Hello friends, When a storm of controversy rages in the temples of education, the attention of the whole society goes towards it. Something similar has happened at the National Institute of Technology NIT Calicut, where the appointment of Professor Dr A Shaiza has created a big controversy. His name came into the headlines when he commented in support of Nathuram Godse on the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in 2024. Now many political parties, especially the Congress, are angry with his appointment to the post of Dean (Planning and Development) of the institute and are warning of agitation.
What was the whole matter?
Dr Shaiza is a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department of NIT Calicut. In 2024, on the occasion of Gandhiji’s death anniversary, he commented on a post on Facebook and wrote “Proud of Godse, he saved India.” This comment was made on a lawyer’s post in which Nathuram Godse was described as “the hero of many people of India”. However, when her comment was criticised and screenshots went viral, she deleted it. But the matter did not end there. Based on the complaints, the Kozhikode City Police registered a case against her under IPC Section 153 (incitement with intent to cause riot).
Why the controversy again?
When Dr Shaiza was appointed as the Dean (Planning and Development) at NIT Calicut, the Congress and Left organisations reacted strongly. Kozhikode District President of Congress Praveen Kumar said that “promoting a professor who insulted Gandhiji shows that the RSS agenda is being implemented in central government institutions.” He demanded an immediate withdrawal of the decision and warned of protests.
Dr Shaiza’s response
When the media sought a response from Dr Shaiza on the matter, she said that she did not want to comment on it. Earlier, while clarifying his controversial comment, he had said “My intention was not to praise the assassination of Gandhiji. I have read Godse’s book ‘Why I Killed Gandhi’, which contains much information that common people do not know. I had commented in that context. But when I saw that it was being taken in the wrong way, I deleted it.”
Why is this issue important for Congress?
Congress is very sensitive about the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi. It is intolerable for the Congress party, which considers Gandhiji as the ‘Father of the Nation’, that a government institution appoints a person to a high post who supports Godse, who killed Gandhiji.
What will happen next?
Congress is preparing to start a movement on this issue in April. The question is also being raised whether the central government or NIT Calicut will take any decision keeping in mind this protest or not. This controversy has once again shown how deep the conflict of history and ideology is in India. While on the one hand educational institutions should be kept away from politics, on the other hand, it is also important to take care of morality and the values of society. Now it remains to be seen whether any concrete steps will be taken on this issue or this controversy will remain just a debate.
Disclaimer: This article has been written only to provide information. The information given in it has been obtained from various sources. There is no intention to support or oppose any kind of political ideology.
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