Kerala University acting VC Mohanan Kunnummal sparks Vande Mataram controversy
Kerala University's acting vice chancellor, Mohanan Kunnummal, sparked controversy after saying at an RSS event that people who oppose singing Vande Mataram "Those who do not know their mother are the ones opposing use of Vande Mataram."
The Students's Federation of India (SFI) strongly condemned him, with SFI State Secretary P.S. Sanjeev saying that Kunnummal was confident that he would not face any action from the Congress-led government in the State over such conduct.
Mohanan Kunnummal says 'mother' meant culturally
Kunnummal later explained he meant "mother" in a cultural sense, emphasizing India's tradition of seeing the country as a motherland, unlike Western ideas of 'fatherland.'
He said, "Those who did not understand the concept of motherland would do so in time. For Indians, the motherland was paramount, and hence the reference to Vande Mataram."
Meanwhile, SFI State Secretary P.S. Sanjeev said Kunnummal was confident that he would not face any action from the Congress-led government in the State over such conduct.