CUK Vande Mataram seminar draws student organisations’ ire

Students’ organisations at the Central University of Kerala (CUK) have raised strong objections to the participation of groups and individuals whom they describe as ideologically aligned with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in a national seminar being organised to mark the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram.

The two-day seminar is scheduled to be held on Tuesday (October 6, 2026) and Wednesday (October 7, 2026) at the Library seminar hall of the university. The participation of J. Nandakumar, national convenor of Prajna Pravah, as the keynote speaker and the role of the Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad as a co-organiser have emerged as the main points of contention among the student organisations.