KOZHIKODE: A huge protest erupted against the decision to promote NIT professor Dr Shaija Andavan as the Dean of NIT Calicut Planning and Development. Shaija had earlier triggered unrest in the university over her comments valorizing Mahatma Gandhi’s assassinator Godse.

Many questioned the decision of NIT to promote Shaija, who is presently not even the head of the department. There are also allegations over the university breaching seniority norms to favour Shaija.

On the occasion of Gandhiji's martyrdom day in January 2024, NIT professor Shaija came with a Facebook post hero worshipping Nathuram Godse. The incident opened a flurry of protest which later forced Kunnamangalam police to arrest and later release her on bail.

Shaija then took leave and went abroad. She returned to the university recently. The District Congress Committee condemned the decision to offer promotion to a person who made demeaning comments on Gandhiji. DCC president K. Praveen Kumar said that they would protest in front of NIT against the promotion.

In a statement, the DYFI state secretariat demanded that the order be withdrawn.