Thiruvananthapuram, February 7: The CUSAT (Cochin University of Science and Technology) Kuttanad campus has turned down the requests of North Indian students who wanted to celebrate Saraswati Puja on the grounds that such a function cannot take place in the campus as "it is a secular place." A few students had applied to the vice-chancellor writing that they wanted to celebrate the Saraswati Puja from February 9 to 11, 2019.

The vice-chancellor denied permission to the students and said that "it can't permit functions of any particular religion."

Read the Letter of the Vice-Chancellor in the Tweet Below:

However, reports say that the Saraswati Puja was allowed on the campus until last year and the students are shocked to learn that they have been denied permission this time. The Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), is an autonomous but government-owned institution. Goddess SaraswatiBasant Panchami 2019 Date and Significance: Saraswati Puja Tithi Timings, Mantra and Story Attached to the Hindu Spring Festival.

Goddess Saraswati is considered as the goddess of knowledge and learning by the Hindus and that is the reason why the North Indian students at Kuttanad campus had applied for permission to celebrate the deity. However, they have been denied permission. According to certain reports, last year, a scuffle broke out among the students on the issue of Saraswati Puja at the CUSAT campus in which two students from Bihar were badly injured.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2019 02:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).