Maharaja's alumni-mgmt spat over office space intensifies

Assn says matters worsened after it pointed out shortcomings in the auditorium works & non-collection of over ₹2 cr rent from stalls

- ANU KURUVILLA @Kochi

The tiff between the Maharaja's College Old Students Association (MCOSA) and the college authorities over the former's forceful eviction from its office -- which it had been given 35 years ago -- has intensified.

Reconciliation efforts by the alumni, including former minister T M Thomas Isaac, Venu Rajamony, Justice K Sukumaran and Justice P S Gopinath, failed to make headway. The Association has also refuted the claims made by the college authorities, that the space is needed to start courses, to evict them.

The issue between the MCOSA and the Maharaja's College management comes at a time when the institution is gearing up to celebrate its 150th anniversary. As to what led to the eviction of MCOSA, an office-bearer said, "Things took a turn for the worse after the association pointed out the shortcomings in the construction of the auditorium and also the non-collection of the rent -- the dues amount to more than ₹2 crore -- from the stalls operating at the Maharaja's College Stadium."