KOCHI: The sacking of a college lecturer , whose right hand was chopped off by activists of a radical outfit for preparing a question paper with alleged derogatory references to Prophet Muhammad, came in for widespread condemnation today as the victim contemplates legal action.A day after management of Private Newman College, a Christian institution, informed Prof T J Joseph that he had been sacked for hurting religious sentiments, pro-Left writers, cultural forums and teachers' unions came out in support of the lecturer.All-Kerala Private College Teachers Association (AKPCTA), Government College Teachers' Association and NGO Union also condemned the college management's action against Joseph.Maintaining that Joseph had not made a derogatory reference to Prophet Mohammed, his family said he would challenge the management decision in a court."He still believes that the college authorities will withdraw the termination order. However, if that does not happen, we will be forced to go to court," Stella, sister of Prof Joseph told PTI here on Sunday.Yesterday he was under shock after the college authorities informed him about their decision to terminate him after 25 years of service, she said.Stella said her brother had not made any derogatory reference to Prophet Mohammed in the said passage of the Malayalam question paper, but had only named a character as Mohammed. The passage was from the book of writer and film director P T Kunhumuhammed and his name had been used as a shortened version for the character, she claimed.The Syro Malabar Church said it was firm that it would not allow anybody to use its institutions to 'wound' sentiments or 'malign' the religious sentiments of other communities."By punishing the teacher, the church has given a clear message to the community at large that it will not permit any individual, even a Christian, to wound the feelings of any other community," Church spokesperson Father Paul Thelekat told PTI.The activists of the radical outfit, Popular Front of India ( PFI ) which carried the attack against the lecturer on July 4, should also be punished, he said.Social activist Swami Agnivesh, here to attend a religious congress, described the attack against Prof Joseph as 'typically fundamental terror'. But greater shame is that his college has terminated him from service. Such managements are playing into the hands of fundamentalists, he said adding the college management should apologise and take him back into service.A statement jointly issued by writers, including President of Kerala Sahitya Akademi, P Valsala, in Thiruvananthapuram said the teacher had already been harassed for an error or lack of forethought, which had shocked democratic Kerala."But his dismissal from service was as cruel and inhuman as chopping off his hand," it said."This action against Joseph came when he is mentally and physically hounded. This is deplorable," said General Secretary of pro-CPI (M) cultural forum Purugamama Kalasahitya Sangham, Prof V N Murali.Joseph had already said if he had hurt the sentiments of any religious sections it was not done with deliberate intention. He had to undergo harrowing experience at the hands of fanatics. Despite all these, removal of him from service had no Justification, AKPCTA said in a statement.