Kozhikode: Activist Dinu Veyil has lodged a complaint against the organizers of the Ragam Festival at NIT Calicut, alleging mistreatment.

Veyil claimed he was invited to speak on the topic of reservations at the event. He also accused the organizers of cancelling the event after he requested travel allowances.

According to Dinu, after reaching Kozhikode from Thiruvananthapuram, the organizers informed him through a WhatsApp message that the event had been cancelled. Veyil has submitted complaints to the SC/ST Commission and the Youth Commission.

In a Facebook post, he recounted his journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Kozhikode and claimed that he experienced discomfort and took medicine for pain. He also revealed that he even prepared notes for the panel discussion. 

He also shared the details of the travel expenses, stating that he had to book a ticket for Rs 1594 from Thiruvananthapuram to Kozhikode and later paid an additional Rs 840 to extend the journey. Veyil clarified that when the organizers asked if he had any "requirements," he had assumed they meant basic travel expenses, not any special requests. 

However, after discussing the costs with the organizers, the event was unexpectedly cancelled, he claimed.

"This is not just about money. Despite being unwell, I travelled for the event and prepared intellectually for the program. To have the event cancelled at the last minute because of a request for travel expenses is nothing short of humiliation. If the organizers had said that the students were facing financial difficulties, we could have had a conversation about it. I’ve participated in several events at my own expense, without any issues. But to cancel the event just because I asked about travel expenses after initially being told no such thing is utterly disrespectful," he wrote. 

He added, "I expected at least minimal respect from the organizers of Ragam. Treating people with dignity and acknowledging their efforts is the least that should be expected."