Kerala college suspends student who questioned gender segregation

The college’s decision to suspend Dinu pending probe has now triggered a social media campaign under the hashtag #supportdinu. Meanwhile, Prof K A Haneefa of the Farook College said a teacher had the right to run the classroom in the manner he or she wanted.

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“We have the support of the students, teachers and the parents-teachers association in our decision to suspend the first-year degree student. There is no gender bias or segregation of students on the basis of sex. He wanted to create trouble on the campus, which follows the rules that are usually in place at other colleges,’’ said Prof Haneefa.

He said there is no ban on intermingling of female and male students, but the canteen has separate areas for both.

“The problem is only when the students sit on the same benches. We have no such separate areas for male and female students in the auditorium where chairs are used,’’ added Haneefa.

The CPM’s students’ wing, the Students Federation of India, however, is in a fix over conducting an agitation over the issue.

“All students are supporting the college and its management. So, we are in a quandary about addressing the issue,’’ said SFI district secretary K Ashwinth.

Last week, SFI activists had clashed with students of Muslim outfits during a protest march against the code of conduct which disallows free mingling between girls and boys.