Police have filed an FIR against 25 jihadi individuals following protests and disruptions during a two-day seminar on Vande Mataram at Kerala Central University in Kasaragod, where the governor was among the speakers. Kerala Police have suo motu registered an FIR against 25 identified students over the disruption of a Vande Mataram seminar at Kerala Central University in Kasaragod.
As per the Organiser reports, the two-day seminar, held on October 6 and 7, 2026, was jointly organized by the Sahitya Akademi, Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad, and Kerala Central University. Despite attempts to disrupt the program, the seminar proceeded, with Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar addressing the gathering on October 7.
During the valedictory ceremony, protesters raised slogans targeting the governor and attempted to disrupt the proceedings. The police intervened, and the program continued despite the protest.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar called for an in-depth investigation into the ideologies and forces opposing Vande Mataram, urging researchers and society to identify the factors driving such opposition and take appropriate action against divisive tendencies. He emphasized that the initiative should go beyond academic seminars and lead to broader social engagement.
Before the seminar, protesters had objected to the scheduled keynote address by J. Nandakumar, national convenor of Prajna Pravah, an organization associated with the Sangh Parivar. The demonstrators reportedly declared that they would not allow the speaker to address the gathering.
The disruption began on the first day during an afternoon session, while University Chief Proctor Dr. K. Sreekumar was addressing the seminar. Protesters entered the auditorium, challenged the proceedings, and continued shouting even after the proctor responded to their questions. Some reportedly displayed footwear, climbed onto the dais, raised slogans, and attempted to interrupt the program. One protester switched off the microphone, prompting police intervention. Officers subsequently escorted the jihadi demonstrators out of the auditorium, allowing the event to continue.
According to reports, the protest was led by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) district secretary, who reportedly was not a student at the university, along with several other individuals who were also not campus students. Members of the Congress-affiliated Kerala Students Union (KSU), the CPI-linked All India Students Federation (AISF), and the Indian Union Muslim League-affiliated Muslim Students Federation (MSF) were also reportedly present alongside SFI activists.
On October 8, police registered an FIR against 25 people for assembling and disrupting the Vande Mataram seminar. Reports indicate that many of those named in the FIR were associated with the MSF. Some female protesters were reportedly wearing hijabs.
However, supporters of the seminar have questioned the severity of the charges, arguing that the provisions invoked may not attract stringent penalties. They have expressed concern that, if the allegations are established but only minor offenses are pursued, the proceedings could conclude with relatively modest fines rather than more substantial legal consequences.
How can outsiders, Islamists, communal activists, and jihadis who are not students of the institution be allowed to enter a Central University and disrupt an academic event? The opposition to the national anthem raises serious concerns about the mindset and conduct of jihadi protestors. Such incidents demand a thorough investigation and firm action to uphold national respect, campus discipline, and the integrity of academic institutions.
To address root cause, we also need to educate Jihadis, potential Jihadis, “secular” Hindus to remove stereotyped misconceptions that are causing distress to their minds. These distressed people’s concern is that i) they worship Supreme God alone and iia) they are against any Supreme God partners, including iib) worshipping of a stone or any material idol or picture as god/goddess itself, which makes these representations as like partners of power that must come directly from Supreme God alone.
There are people in all religions, that tend to venerate mazaars, stone idols, pictures etc. of their favorite god/goddess/godman, and believe their god/goddess/godman can intervene or performe miracles (intercession) as a result of their act of veneration of the representative object.
Coming to Vande Mataram, these devout Muhammadans and their “secular” lackeys must understand that this hymnal song is not violating any of their above concerns. Vande Mataram reflects Shakt Monism philosophy where formless, supreme Adi Parashakti in manifest form is referred to in feminine terms (and called Mahadevi), and Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and MahaSarasvati are the three emanant conceptual forces of the Supreme Entity, and their manifestation is also described in feminine terms. They are not separate entities sharing Supreme Entity’s power. The nation for it’s inhabitants is not a rival of Adi Parashakti, but a manifestation of that power there.
From my understanding, while Shraman dharmas themselves do not endorse a Supreme creator/destroyer entity (formless or not), Vedic and Shakt Monism ( अद्वैतवाद) and Vedic Dualism (द्वैतवाद) are matters of perspectives ( as by अनेकांतवाद), as long as a nation’s rulers do not arrogate themselves to define laws speaking on the entity’s behalf. So making complete Vande Mataram singing compulsory is fine, as long as you do not arrogate yourself to make laws on the Supreme Entity’s behalf, like how Muhammad did with his Allah, whom he insisted is the Supreme Entity. His Allah is his virtual proxy.
Bharat would benefit if we create laws that criminalizes those who misrepresent Mahadevi, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and MahaSarasvati in their hateful versions of “shirk” (partner) and idol worship, and promote their intolerant and abusive ideology, causing harm to Dharma.