Cochin university declines permission for Saraswati Puja

Alappuzha (Kerala) [India], Feb 7 (ANI): Students hailing from north India at the Cochin University in Kerala have been declined permission to conduct a 'Saraswati Pooja' by college authorities.

“It is informed that the request of north Indians students to conduct ‘Saraswati Pooja’ has been declined by the Vice-Chancellor, since ours is a secular campus and as such, we cannot permit religious function/activities of any religion inside campus,” a notice signed by the joint registrar of  the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) said on February 1.

The students allege that the restriction has come into place only this year and a similar pooja was conducted in the campus in 2018.

The authorities claimed that such a decision was necessitated because students bring weapons with them, which is not allowed in the campus.  (ANI)