The standoff between interim Vice-Chancellor D. Mavoothu and Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) Students’ Union over cockroach-themed posters for its national conference has escalated, with the varsity initiating proceedings to withdraw the financial assistance sanctioned for the event.

As part of the move, the Registrar has issued a notice warning the SFI-led university union that the financial assistance sanctioned for the conference, scheduled to be held on the campus from August 3 to 6, would be withdrawn. The university had granted administrative sanction of ₹3.75 lakh for organising the conference and released ₹2.81 lakh as an advance.

In its communication, the Registrar said the union’s actions amounted to a violation of the university’s order prohibiting political content at events financed with university funds, as well as the Mahatma Gandhi University Students’ Code of Conduct Rules, 2005 and the Mahatma Gandhi University Code of Ethics and Conduct. The notice further warned that unless the violations were remedied, the university would be compelled to recover the advance.

The controversy centres on publicity material for the conference. One of the posters depicts a cockroach standing defiantly before a boot, an image that has gained prominence as a symbol of resistance during the recent student protests at New Delhi.

The varsity subsequently ordered the removal of the posters and banners, maintaining that the cockroach image carried political overtones and contravened an earlier circular barring political content at programmes conducted with university funds.

Union defiant

The university union, however, has refused to comply and insists that it will not accept the order. It has also accused the university administration of seeking to curb students’ freedom of expression. “There is no question of taking down the posters. The union will submit a formal reply to the latest notice after examining the code of conduct cited by the university and the legal validity of the circulars issued in this regard. ,” said M. Abhinav, chairman of the union.

Earlier, an online promotional campaign for the conference also featured the images of cockroach alongside photographs that became emblematic of the student-led agitation over the alleged examination paper leaks. After the university objected to the online posters, the union erected a huge banner carrying the cockroach image at the entrance to the campus.