The Syndicate of the Mahatma Gandhi University would discuss the issue of dismissal of Newman College lecturer TJ Joseph at its meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
"The university syndicate will be meeting tomorrow and the legal aspects of the management's decision would be discussed", vice-chancellor Dr Rajan Gurukkal told PTI.
"The syndicate would examine if the college management had followed the due procedures while dismissing the lecturer. After a thorough examination of the issues involved, the Syndicate would take suitable decisions", Gurukkal said.
Joseph, whose right hand was chopped off allegedly by activists of radical outfit Popular Front of India in July, for setting a question paper with derogatory reference to Prophet Muhammad, was removed from service on September 1. The action of the church-run college management had sparked widespread protests from political, cultural and academic circles.
The college authorities had justified the action against Joseph holding that it was necessary to assert the secular credentials of the educational institutions run by the church.
The position of the college authorities was that people who were opposing the decision was looking at it emotionally ingnoring the fallout the controversial question paper had triggered in the society.
Joseph, who was teaching Malayalam literature in the college, was placed under suspension earlier this year after several Muslim outifts came out in strong protest against the issue.
Wrtiers and academics, mostly of pro-Left circles, dubbed the action against Joseph as harsh and inhuman as the physcial assault he suffered at the hands of fanatics.
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