Kerala college cancels journalist’s lecture citing ‘controversial’ image
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Kottayam: Journalist Vinod K Jose, former editor of The Caravan magazine, said on Tuesday that he was disinvited from a college programme in Pala town in Kerala, where he was scheduled to deliver a lecture on the “State of Indian Democracy”.
Jose was invited to speak at St Thomas College on Thursday as part of the institution’s annual TC Thomas Endowment Lecture. However, he said he was informed on Tuesday morning that the college management and the principal did not want him on the campus, describing him as a “controversial figure”.
Stating that this was the first time he had been disinvited from a public event, Jose said the college is managed by a Catholic diocese and linked the decision to a broader political climate. In a social media post, he remarked, “These are interesting times we live in. If not all, at least a section of the Christian society in Kerala is tiptoeing the RSS-BJP (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-Bharatiya Janata Party) line of blocking relevant, transparent conversations at the least, and at its maximum, working to help the Hindu right get a foothold in Kerala.”
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Commenting further, Jose said that the cancellation itself reflected the theme of the proposed lecture. “Through my disinvitation, the lecture has already been delivered, without me uttering a word. The state of Indian democracy stands explained,” he said.
He also criticised Christian educational institutions for what he described as selective censorship. While such colleges often raise concerns about declining student quality, Jose said the issue also lay with the education being offered. “When a management decides to censor ideas and experiences that students should be exposed to – an integral part of social science education – why then complain about quality?” he asked.
Jose served as editor of The Caravan from 2009 to 2023 and is currently the director of the annual Wayanad Literature Festival.