NIT Professor Accused of Godse Post Case Appointed Dean; Violated Rules, Sparks Row

Kozhikode, Kerala: Dr Shaija Andavan, a National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut professor who courted controversy last year for praising Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, has been appointed as Dean (Planning and Development). Her appointment has sparked row on the campus as some faculty members alleging that it has surpassed conventional seniority norms.

Dr. Shaija Andavan is currently a professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NIT Calicut. As per the official order from the NIT Calicut Director, Andavan will assume her new role on March 7 for an initial period of two years.

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Meanwhile, authorities of the institution rejected these allegations concerning Andavan’s appointment, stating that statutes of the NIT Act were followed. The NIT Director is empowered to appoint deans with intimation to the chairperson of the Board of Governors, The Hindu quotes as said in the Act.

In the wake of these allegations, Andavan responded that she has been chairing a multidisciplinary centre in NIT Calicut for the last four years. The Centre comprises 40 faculty members and her position was equal to that of a head of the department, The Hindu reports. She further added that she is also one of the senior most professors of the institute possessing 38 years of teaching experience.

Social Media Row On Godse Post

Last year, on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary, January 30 – Martyr’s Day, Andavan wrote “proud of Godse for saving India” in the comment section of a Facebook post put out by a lawyer named Krishna Raj. The advocate who is known for his Hindutva stance has posted Godse’s photograph and wrote in Malayalam, “Hindu Mahasabha activist Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a hero of many in India.”

As the comment erupted controversy, Shailaja later deleted the comment. However, screenshots were widely circulated.

Following multiple complaints lodged by various student bodies, The Kerala Police registered a case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with the intent to cause riot) against the Professor. Several Left and Congress organisations had also demanded that she be dismissed from the institute.

Andavan then was questioned at her residence in Chathamangalam and later at the Kunnamangalam police station. On February 20, 2024, Andavan was granted bail by the Kunnamangalam Special First Class Magistrate Court after appearing in person.

At the time, when asked for explanation, Andavan dismissed the controversy stating that it was a peevish remark, and never meant to evoke controversy. “I didn’t put much thought into it when I first commented. I had read the book ‘Why I killed Gandhi’ and felt that some of the points mentioned in it were true. Hence I made the comment. But now, I feel I shouldn’t have and hence I deleted the comment,” Shaija told The News Minute.

Following the widespread protests, NIT Calicut has also formulated a panel to probe into the incident. In an official statement issued on February 10, 2024 it has ensured appropriate action based on committee’s findings. The institute clarified that they did not want to endorse or support any comment that went against the principles and values upheld by Mahatma Gandhi.

“To address the complaints related to the comment in question, the Institute has constituted a committee to thoroughly investigate various aspects of the incident. It will prepare a comprehensive report, and based on its findings, appropriate action will be taken by the higher authorities,” it added.

Kerala Higher Education Minister R. Bindu strongly condemned professor for her praise and termed her response as insulting and ungrateful. Minister has also expressed concerns that how such instances of faculties lauding historical wrongs going to badly impact the younger generation of the country.

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Meanwhile, the District Congress Committee demanded revocation of her recent appointment. Rebuking institute’s move,  Congress Kerala wrote in their social media handle, “She [Dr Shaija Andavan] has two extraordinary qualifications, which made her eligible for this elevation. a. She ‘owns’ NIT Calicut b. She is proud of Godse, not Gandhi.”

“Will NIT Calicut too join IIT Madras on bleeding edge cow urine research?,” it added further.

Dr. Shaija Anadavan has been appointed as the dean of NIT Calicut, violating seniority norms. She has two extraordinary qualifications, which made her eligible for this elevation.

a. She ‘owns’ NIT Calicut
b. She is proud of Godse, not Gandhi

Will NIT Calicut too join IIT… pic.twitter.com/Q1DElmGYb3

— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) February 26, 2025

Political and student bodies are planning for protests in the upcoming days, urging that the decision to be re-examined.