The National Institute of Technology, Calicut has found itself in yet another controversy after a Facebook comment of one of its faculty members hailing Nathuram Godse, the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, came to light. The controversial comment was made by professor Shaija Andavan of the Mechanical Engineering department, on January 30, on the anniversary of Gandhi’s martyrdom, under a post put out by an advocate named Krishna Raj, who is known for constantly taking Hindutva stance.
Sharing a photograph of Godse, Krishna Raj wrote in Malayalam, “Hindu Mahasabha member Nathuram Godse. Hero of many people of Bharat”. Under this post, Shaija said, “Proud of Godse for saving India”.
When The Fourth website reported on the incident, several people questioned how a professor of a premiere institute like NIT-C can hail a person who was responsible for the assassination of the father of the nation.
Shaija has deleted the comment after facing major backlash.
Speaking to TNM, Shaija said, “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”.
Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by Nathuram Godse, on January 30, 1948, while he was walking towards a prayer mandap at Birla House in Delhi. At this point, Godse came before Gandhi, pulled out a pistol from his pocket and fired three shots at Gandhi, which hit his chest, stomach and groin.
This controversy comes close on the heels after a fourth year Btech student from the same college was suspended earlier this week, after he, along with a group of other students had protested the celebrations inside the campus with regard to the Ram temple inauguration. His suspension was however put on hold following massive protests by the student community.