The content of another college magazine has kicked up a row here with the authorities asking the student editor to remove what they claim to be certain “over-politicised references” which are not in good taste.

While the students point out that they have been asked to remove words such as ‘Dalit’, ‘beef’ and ‘fascism’ in Imirichalu, Choodanthiri, Poyachalu, the annual magazine of Government Arts and Science College, Nadapuram, for 2016-17, the Principal said he was not against political ideas, but “social and political criticism that crosses the limits.” Recently, the magazine brought out by the Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan’s College and MES College, Ponnani, too were embroiled in a controversy for their political content.

Favas M., editorial committee member, told The Hindu on Monday that the magazine had been divided into three sections dealing with different issues.

It was ‘Imirichalu’, frustration in the local parlance, which discussed contemporary politics that drew the ire of the authorities.

Beef politics

The students had been asked to remove an interview with V.T. Balram, MLA, as the questions were “directly targeting the Sangh Parivar.” “The authorities claim that we cannot attack any political idea directly. There is another poem on the beef politics. They want the word beef to be changed as food and remove references to fascism elsewhere,” he said.

There is a collage on the cover page with a picture of a cow.

Mr. Favas said the Principal told them that as people who worship cows were ruling the country, such things could not be allowed.

Also, the staff editor and the Principal want the word ‘Dalit’ to be replaced with ‘brother’ or ‘sister’. “The Principal says freedom of expression cannot be allowed to this extent. We can have stories, poems, and articles about love, flowers and butterflies. Such political criticism cannot be allowed in a magazine from a government college,” Mr. Favas said.

Released 2 months ago

Mohammed Velloli, student editor, told The Hindu they had been asked to make changes or remove the content in 18 pages. Though the magazine was formally released two months ago before the college union election, it was not distributed among students. When the first draft was submitted before the staff editor Sudheep, the content in 40 pages, including an article on contemporary Indian politics, was changed.

Just dilution: Principal

M. Jothiraj, the Principal, said there was no bar on the magazine as claimed by the students. “There are certain over-politicised references in the content. I just asked them to dilute them a bit. We are not against social or political criticism, but it should not cross the limits,” he said.

The magazine committee is planning to distribute ‘Kalikkudukka,’ a children’s literary magazine, among students as a mark of protest.