Kerala High Court Closes Writ Petition After Kerala University Removes ‘Intifada’ And Israel's Map From Logo Of Its College Festival
The Kerala High Court today closed the Writ Petition filed challenging the naming of the Kerala University's Youth Festival ‘Intifada’ with Israel's map on the log of the festival, after noting that the University has removed the logo including the word 'Intifada' and Israil's map.
The Bench of Justice PV Kunhikrishnan was informed today that the Vice Chancellor of the University acted on the complaints received by him and has directed that the word 'Intifada' should be removed from all banners, posters, flyers, social media handles etc. and the festival be called the "Kerala University Youth Festival" for the time being.
In a communication addressed by the Vice Chancellor to the Registrar stating that both the Director of Students Services and the Chairman of the Kerala University Students Union have justified the use of the controversial name and logo. "The reply received from both are to the effect that the choice of the name is exclusively within the domain of the Students' Union. The Chairman of the Students' Union has replied that the name was chosen to create a defence against Israel for their atrocities on the children of Palestine. It is seen that the Director of Students' Services has also supported the choice of the name. He has stated that the Union is free to choose the name and there is no reason to interfere with the same", the communication says.
The Vice Chancellor has stated in the communication that it is not possible to accept the explanation offered by the authorities. "The Youth Festival conducted is not a place for any protest. It is the stage to inculcate harmony and friendship among the students. The Students' Union has committed a mistake in choosing a word which has connotations that could affect many among the students and the public. Freedom of expression has its own limitations. It cannot be used to hurt others and destroy the harmony and peace in the campus. The platform of the Youth festival cannot be permitted to be made a stage to propagate any type of ideologies. It is to be used to promote arts and culture and not to be used as a platform for discussing or propagating any ideologies", the communication issued by the VC said.
The Vice Chancellor has said in the communication that the University is duty-bound to ensure that its activities do not hurt the sentiments of any sections of the students, faculty and public. "The Youth Festival would be attended by thousands of students coming from different social milieu. Controversies need to be avoided in all such programs. Further, the word INTIFADA having direct link with the Palestine-Israel issue, the same can have implications on the Country's foreign policy as well. All these could lead to a legal conundrum, which will not be in the interest of the University. The University's reputation could be badly affected in such an event. On the other hand, nobody will be badly affected, no controversy will be created and none's sentiments would be hurt, even if no specific name is given to the Youth Festival", the Vice Chancellor said in his communication to the Registrar.
The Writ Petition was filed by Advocate Vinod Bhat on behalf of Ashish A.S., a first-year B.Sc. Chemistry student at the NSS College affiliated to Kerala University.
Kerala University organises the University Youth Festival every year. This year the youth festival has been named ‘Intifada’. "Intifada is an Arabic word, which means “shake-off”. Palestinians use the term to mean ‘civil uprising’. The word was used by the Palestinians in the wake of violence that erupted in Gaza between Palestinians and the Israelis. The term ‘intifada’ is historically linked with the militant/ terror groups like the Hamas of Palestine", the petition said.
As per the Petitioner, the logo of the festival depicts the scarf of Palestine on the map of Israel. The map of Israel is superimposed on the logo of the Festival. The caption to the logo reads “the protest of arts against the invasion”.
"It is respectfully submitted that the youth festival cannot be related to a riot or a war. But Ext.P1 (name and logo of Festival) sets a different theme to the youth of the State. There is no place for politics or geopolitics in a youth festival. Israel-Palestine conflict cannot be the point of discussion or the theme of creative expression", the Writ Petition reads.
The High Court noted today that the prayers in the writ petition are seen acted upon after the issuance of notice by the Court and accordingly closed the Writ Petition.
Cause Title: Ashish A.S. v. Union of India & Ors. (WP(c) No. 8526/2024)
