Move to confer D'Litt to community leaders

A move by the Calicut University in Kerala to confer D'Litt to community leaders close to the ruling CPM in the state has triggered a row.

A proposal to confer D'Litt to Vellappally Natesan, who is the general secretary of SNDP Yogam that represents the Hindu Ezhava community, and All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama
general secretary Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, came up before the university syndicate. But it faced opposition even from pro-left members in the syndicate.

Both Natesan and Aboobacker Musaliyar are close to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The move came amidst allegations by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan that the CPM government was politicising the Universities in the state.

Syndicate member E Abdurahiman had made the proposal at the syndicate meeting the other day citing the contributions they made in the field of education. But many members in the syndicate opposed it. Hence the matter was left to a sub-committee.