KANNUR: There were deviations from the agreed protocol during the inaugural session of the Indian History Congress, Kannur University Vice Chancellor Prof Gopinath Raveendran told reporters on Sunday.
He said that the name of historian Irfan Habib was not in the list of speakers submitted to the Governor’s office for approval. As per the agreed protocol, the new IHC president Prof Amiya Kumar Bagchi would take over charge from outgoing IHC president Prof Irfan Habib.
However, during the process, two history professors stepped on to the dais to suggest and second the new president, - a deviation from the agreed protocol. This was followed by another deviation of Irfan Habib speaking during the ceremony. The list of speakers should be given to the governor’s office for approval. But, in this case, it was not done, he said.
Defending his stand, historian Irfan Habib said, he intervened only when the Governor spoke politics. “It is a historian’s responsibility to respond to the issues concerning the people of the country. There was no deviation from the protocol. But, the police tried to stop me,” he said.“This is a Left ruled state and is this the way things are being done here ?” he asked.
“The state government should give an explanation regarding the incidents that took place on Saturday,” said Irfan Habeeb.He added that IHC was an independent body and it had not invited the Governor to the function, but the host university which had invited the Governor. Things had turned sour on Saturday, when the Governor tried to respond to the speeches of Irfan Habeeb and K K Ragesh, MP, critical of CAA.
Organising committee denies allegations
Kannur: The organising committee of the Indian History Congress on Sunday issued a statement clarifying they had not deviated from the protocol at the inaugural ceremony of the three-day event attended by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. The clarification came a day after historian Irfan Habib ‘disrupted’ the Governor’s speech, which allegedly did not stick to the protocol. On Saturday, protests had erupted after a section of delegates raised slogans against the Governor who supported the implementation of the CAA. According to the committee members, the arrangements on the dias were made based on directions by the Special Branch. Also, every change, both big and small, made to the programme as per suggestions from the Governor’s office was implemented by the committee and informed to the Governor’s office.