Police action against SFI: Pinarayi urges Mallikarjun Kharge to restrain Congress-led Keralam govt from ‘pandering to Sangh Parivar’

Keralam Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, registering his protest against “the violent police action against protesting Students Federation of India (SFI) activists at the University of Kerala” and also decrying the policies of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Keralam, which, Mr Vijayan alleged, pandered to the agenda of the Sangh Parivar.

Mr Vijayan said there was no provocation for the police to resort to “a violent” lathicharge on students, who were peacefully protesting against the full rendition of Vande Mataram in front of the university building. Women police personnel were not around when female students were attacked by male police personnel. This was in flagrant violation of the law, he said.

From the time of the national movement, a consensus had been reached to sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram in order to preserve the plurality of Indian society and constitutional values. However, when the Sangh Parivar is trying to breach this consensus, which has been in force for over 80 years, the Congress-led government in the State is aiding it, Mr Vijayan alleged.

While the Congress supports student protests nationally and opposes the Centre’s and the Delhi Police’s oppressive measures, it handles student protests in Keralam in “a fascist manner”. Sonia Gandhi had expressed dismay at the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the AICC headquarters. But in Keralam, the Congress-led government is trying to appease the Sangh Parivar, said Mr. Vijayan.

By agreeing in court to amend the university laws in accordance with UGC norms, the State government in Keralam has conceded full authority over State-run universities to the Governor. This shows the government’s absolute surrender to the attempts by the Centre and the Sangh Parivar to get a stranglehold over universities, Mr Vijayan said in the letter.

He urged Mr Kharge to intervene urgently and to restrain the Congress government in Keralam from “pursuing its policy of appeasing” the Sangh Parivar and unleashing police atrocities on students.