# Kerala university seminar on Vande Mataram sparks student backlash

> Student groups at Central University of Kerala object to speakers and organisers they say are ideologically aligned with the RSS.
- Title: Kerala university seminar on Vande Mataram sparks student…
- Summary: Student groups at Central University of Kerala object to speakers and organisers they say are ideologically aligned with the RSS. Student organisations at…
- Keywords: central university of kerala, vande mataram, students' federation of india, national students' union of india, muslim students' federation, rashtriya swayamsevak sangh, prajna pravah, akhil bharatiya sahitya parishad, kerala, news, politics, university
- Source: The Hindu — https://thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/cuk-vande-mataram-seminar-draws-student-organisations-ire/article71543215.ece
- Author: The Hindu Bureau
- Published: 2026-10-05T01:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: central university of kerala, vande mataram, students' federation of india, national students' union of india, muslim students' federation, rashtriya swayamsevak sangh, prajna pravah, akhil bharatiya sahitya parishad, kerala, news, politics
## Seminar marks song's anniversary
Central University of Kerala is hosting a two-day national seminar on Tuesday October sixth and Wednesday October seventh to mark the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram.
## Student groups object to speakers
The Students' Federation of India, National Students' Union of India and Muslim Students' Federation have raised strong objections to the participation of J. Nandakumar, national convenor of Prajna Pravah, as keynote speaker.
## Concerns about co-organisers
The Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad's role as co-organiser has emerged as a main point of contention. The Muslim Students' Federation describes both organisations as ideologically associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
## SFI warns of ideological imposition
The SFI objected to attempts to impose religious symbols or a particular ideological position on the university community through the complete rendition of Vande Mataram at a secular institution.
## SFI president defends pluralism
SFI unit president Nivathi Thara A.L. said constitutional secularism, pluralism and equality must be protected at a university where students from different religious, social and cultural backgrounds study.

> constitutional secularism, pluralism and equality must be protected at a university where students from different religious, social and cultural backgrounds study
## NSUI plans democratic protest
The National Students' Union of India has alleged the programme is part of an attempt to saffronise the Central University of Kerala and announced it will organise a democratic protest on campus against it.
## Key takeaway

Student organisations at Central University of Kerala have objected to a national seminar marking the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of Vande Mataram, citing concerns about the ideological alignment of keynote speakers and co-organisers.