Kerala: Engineering college in Kochi allows students to hold 'Saraswati Puja' in 'peaceful manner' following protests

Kochi: Authorities of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) Thursday granted permission to a section of students in its Alappuzha campus to conduct 'pooja' for Goddess Saraswati, in a peaceful manner following a protest by them.The permission was granted after north Indian students studying in the Cochin University College of Engineering Kuttanad (CUCEK) protested the CUSAT authorities' decision not to grant permission to organise the religious function in the institution, college authorities said.[caption id="attachment_5167691" align="alignleft" width="380"] Representational photo[/caption]Students from North India had sought permission from the college authorities to conduct 'Saraswati Pooja' in the campus on 9, 10 and 11 February following which the request was forwarded to the CUSAT authorities.However, the request was declined by the CUSAT authorities, saying it "cannot permit religious function/activities of any religion inside campus" "since it was a secular campus".The North Indian students staged a protest against the decision, claiming that such a pooja was performed in the campus in 2018 with the permission of the college authorities.Considering the protest of the students, a high-power  committee of the CUSAT comprising its vice chancellor and registrar met and decided to grant permission to the students to organise the Saraswati pooja on 10 February "in a peaceful"manner in the college campus, sources said.CUCEK Principal N Sunilkumar said the university authorities have orally communicated to him about the decision granting permission to conduct the pooja in the campus. The North Indian students have also been informed about the decision taken by the University authorities, he said.