This Article is From Apr 06, 2016

A 'Grave' Was Farewell Gift For This Principal In Kerala, Students Charged

A 'Grave' Was Farewell Gift For This Principal In Kerala, Students Charged

Students of Government Victoria College have dug a grave in the courtyard of their college.

Highlights

  • On principal's last day, students dig her a grave in college courtyard
  • Didn't allow students to protest, this is my farewell gift: Principal
  • Case filed against students of Left-backed Students' Federation of India
The sight of what appeared to be a freshly dug grave with a headstone, flowers and a wreath greeted the 56-year-old principal of the Government Victoria College in Kerala on March 31. "Whose grave is this?" Dr Sarasu TN asked a student. The reply shocked her: "Yours."

A group of students had been digging the "grave" since 7 am, Dr Sarasu found out later.

"I have not allowed students to protest and disrupt classes, so this is their farewell gift for me. They are not alone in this. There are some teachers from Left-leaning organisations behind this too," she alleged.

The outgoing principal claimed she had become unpopular mainly because she followed the rule-book very closely on student protests. "It is a government norm that at least a five-day notice should be given to the Principal before any event or protest is organised by students in the college. I tried to implement that," she said.

Based on her complaint, the police have filed a defamation case against the students of the Left-backed Students' Federation of India (SFI) in the college.

"The investigation is on and no case has been made out against any specific student, but against the SFI members from the hostel. The matter is being investigated," a police officer in Palakkad told NDTV.

Dr Sarasu has taught in the college for 27 years and retired with eight months left in office.

"I have poured my soul into working for this college. Is this all I get back?" she said.
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