Mock funeral row at Sanskrit university deepens amid differing accounts

The dispute centres on a theatrical performance staged at a major Sanskrit university in Kerala, with students and administration offering markedly different interpretations of the event's purpose and nature.

According to the student body and protest organisers, the performance was intended to draw attention to deteriorating conditions at the Department of Theatre, specifically highlighting non-functional lighting equipment that has hindered academic activities. They characterised the event as a creative protest method aligned with the department's focus on theatrical expression.

However, Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas has lodged a formal complaint with the Kerala Governor, asserting that the demonstration amounted to a personal attack. In her complaint, Thomas alleged that protesters created and paraded a dummy effigy purporting to represent her, subjecting it to a mock funeral ceremony.

The conflicting narratives reflect a broader tension between the university administration and sections of the student community. While one side frames the event as institutional critique addressing legitimate grievances about campus facilities, the other views it as a personal affront to university leadership.

The matter has now escalated to the gubernatorial level, suggesting efforts to seek intervention from higher authorities to resolve the dispute and clarify the intentions behind the protest action.