A social media post by R. Joseph D’ Kennedy, Indian Representative of ECA Global (Ending Clergy Abuse) and a Loyola College alumnus himself, has called out the Loyola Alumni Association for what he describes as a “shameless PR stunt”, claiming Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay as a “distinguished alumnus” of the institution, when Vijay never completed his degree there.
The post was prompted by a widely circulated poster put out by the Loyola Alumni Association following the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election results. The poster, titled “From Students of Loyola to Leaders of Tamil Nadu,” features Chief Minister Vijay, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, and Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar – all three identified as Loyola alumni.
The problem, as Kennedy points out, is straightforward: Vijay enrolled in the Bachelor of Visual Communication programme at Loyola College but left early, without completing his degree, to pursue acting. He debuted as a lead hero at the age of 18 and never returned to finish his studies.
“Vijay leaving Loyola to chase his dreams — that’s entirely his story to own,” Kennedy wrote. “But Loyola claiming him as their ‘distinguished alumnus’ is nothing but stealing credit for a journey they had absolutely no part in.”
The Bootlicking That Came Before
Kennedy’s criticism goes beyond the poster. He draws pointed attention to Loyola’s Jesuit administration’s track record of political alignment with the outgoing DMK government – and the speed with which it has now repositioned itself with the new establishment.
At the centre of his critique is Fr. C. Joe Arun SJ, Director of the Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) and Former Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission – a post to which he was appointed by the DMK government. At a Christmas rally in Tirunelveli in December 2025, Fr. Joe Arun made an explicit electoral appeal for Christians and Muslims to vote DMK in the 2026 elections, concluding with the words: “Just as God is with us, we too are with him. Just as Jesus is with us, he too is with us” – drawing a direct parallel between Chief Minister MK Stalin and Jesus Christ.
The statement, reported by The Commune at the time, drew widespread criticism for its conflation of religious authority with electoral mobilisation. That it was made by a Jesuit priest holding a government-appointed position made it all the more significant.
“This is the same Jesuit institution that was bootlicking the DMK government right up to election day,” Kennedy wrote, “and has now wasted no time repositioning themselves with the new establishment. Pure political weather-watching.”
A Ranking In Freefall
Adding to the critique is Loyola’s own academic performance record. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), the Government of India’s official college ranking system, shows a sustained decline over the past three years:
A drop of ten places in three years – from one of India’s top five colleges to outside the top ten.
“When your academic credibility is in free fall, you parade someone else’s success story for desperate PR,” Kennedy noted.
A Caution To TVK
Kennedy’s post also carries a direct warning to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and the new Chief Minister.
“Institutional church doesn’t do loyalty — it does opportunism,” he wrote. “They used DMK. They’ll use you too. Stay alert.”
The warning comes from a place of institutional familiarity. Kennedy, who completed his degree at Loyola College, has been at the forefront of accountability efforts targeting the institution’s Jesuit administration – filing complaints with the NHRC, UGC, and the Superior General of the Jesuits in Rome over issues ranging from unauthorised foreign MoUs to electoral partisanship.
“PS: I say this as a proud Loyola alumnus — one who actually completed his degree,” he signed off.
Loyola Alumni Association is proudly claiming @CMOTamilnadu as their “distinguished alumnus.” Reality: He enrolled in Vis Com, left early to pursue his passion for acting at 18. Never completed his degree.
Vijay leaving Loyola to chase his dreams — that’s entirely his story to… pic.twitter.com/YJNxWLRdzY
— JDK (@bluebugs_) May 14, 2026
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