The Vice-Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) has sought an explanation from the Registrar for attending a procession held as part of the varsity fest, in which alleged defamatory banners and slogans were raised against Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.

Ciza Thomas, Vice-Chancellor, on Thursday asked Mothi George, Registrar, to submit his reply within three days. She has also asked him to submit details of faculty members who had attended the procession held at Kalady town. The event was organised by the university union led by the Students Federation of India (SFI).

The varsity authorities said that the presence of the Registrar and faculty members in a procession in which defamatory banners and slogans were raised against the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the university, amounted to violation of service norms. Mr. George was not available for comment despite repeated efforts. The Save University Campaign Committee has submitted a complaint seeking action against the Registrar for attending the procession.

SFI activists had staged a protest against Mr. Arlekar on the occasion of the Sree Sankara Jayanthi celebrations held on the Kalady campus on April 21, alleging that he was trying to implement the Sangh Parivar agenda. Mr. Arlekar had recently directed the authorities to initiate action over allegations that the varsity Syndicate had tried to award a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree to a candidate who had not fulfilled the minimum academic requirements. He had also recommended action in the controversy related to irregularities in the printing and release of the unfinished biography of Chattampi Swamikal published by the varsity.