"Appropriate Gandhi, Glorify Godse": Jairam Ramesh On NIT Professor's Appointment As Dean
Calicut, Kerala: On Wednesday, a professor at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut, Dr Shaija Andavan, who created an uproar last year for praising Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, was appointed Dean of Planning and Development at the institute.
The appointment has sparked controversy in the institution, with some alleging that conventional seniority norms were skipped. Commenting on the development, Congress general secretary in charge of communication Jairam Ramesh on Thursday alleged that the appointment is “all part of the Modi mindset—appropriate Gandhi, glorify Godse.”
Read Also: NIT Professor Accused Of Godse Post Appointed Dean; ‘Violated Rules’, Sparks Row
The Congress leader slammed the Modi government for the elevation of Dr Shaija Andavan who publicly stated she is “proud of Godse for saving India is made a dean in NIT-Calicut by the Modi government,”
“A former judge of the Calcutta High Court could not choose between Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse. He is now a BJP MP. A professor in Kerala who publicly says she is proud of Godse for saving India is made a dean in NIT-Calicut by the Modi government,” the Congress MP wrote on X.
A former judge of the Calcutta Court High Court could not choose between Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse. He is now a BJP MP.
A Professor in Kerala who publicly says she is proud of Godse for saving India is made a Dean in NIT-Calicut by the Modi Govt.
This is all part of the… pic.twitter.com/5n2qLxSDec
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 27, 2025
Abhijit Gangopadhyay, the former Calcutta High Court judge, last year said he could not choose between Gandhi and Godse and feels compelled to understand the reasoning behind Godse’s actions. “I must read his (Nathuram Godse’s) writings and understand what triggered him to kill Mahatma Gandhi. Until then, I cannot choose between Gandhi and Godse,” AajTak Bangla quoted the former high court judge as saying.
Read Also: IIT Delhi And The University of Queensland Invite Applications For Joint PhD Programme For July 2025
The comment was made days after he joined the saffron party. He was also given a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Tamluk constituency and is now serving as a BJP MP.
The Calicut NIT professors drew widespread criticism in 2024 on the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary after she made a Facebook post, penning, “Proud of Godse for saving India.”
Regarding the allegations of bypassing seniority norms in the appointment of Professor Andavan, the authorities have maintained that statutes of the NIT Act were followed and that the NIT Director is empowered to appoint deans with intimation to the chairperson of the Board of Governors.
Currently, the professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NIT Calicut, Dr Shaija Andavan, is expected to assume a new charge on March 7 as per the official order from the institute’s director.
