09 July,2025 06:53 PM IST | Kochi | mid-day online correspondent
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan. Pic/X
VD Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, on Wednesday accused the ruling Left government of endorsing violence within universities and failing to safeguard the state's higher education system, reported news agency PTI.
A day after activists from the the Students' Federation of India (SFI) stormed into major universities in the state alleging that the Raj Bhavan was attempting to 'saffronise' the higher education agenda, Satheesan dismissed their actions as "pure hooliganism" rather than a legitimate protest against the Governor.
Speaking to reporters, the Congress leader asserted that the campus unrest instigated by the SFI was not a valid protest but outright hooliganism, according to PTI.
He further criticised the police for their inaction, claiming they acted as enablers for the perpetrators.
"What transpired yesterday (Tuesday) under the guise of protest across the state's universities was nothing short of hooliganism by the SFI. The government and the police were complicit in this violence. Who exactly is the SFI protesting against?" Satheesan questioned. He alleged, "They barged into university campuses, disrupted academic activities, and assaulted both staff and students. This was overt violence, and the police stood by, allowing it to happen."
Satheesan's strong remarks came after CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan publicly declared full support for the SFI, the party's student wing, stating that their protest against the Sangh Parivar's agenda in higher education would continue with full force, reported PTI.
Satheesan claimed that the academic values of Kerala's higher education system is being entirely undermined. "Children in Kerala are becoming collateral damage in the ongoing trivial disputes between the Governor and the state government. Instead of taking steps to resolve this, the party secretary himself went to the university and endorsed the unrest," he stated.
According to PTI, the Leader of the Opposition also argued that Kerala is witnessing a serious double standard from its police force as they brutally suppress peaceful protests by United Democratic Front (UDF) workers - such as those demanding the Health Minister's resignation - while simultaneously providing cover for SFI activists engaging in violent acts. "This blatant double standard has exposed the politicisation of law enforcement in the state," Satheesan concluded.
The Congress leader urged CPI(M) leaders to control the SFI. While, he also questioned the purpose of the chaos created by forcibly entering university campuses, highlighting serious issues facing the academic sector.
"Out of the 13 universities in the state, 12 do not have permanent Vice-Chancellors. There are conflicts everywhere between Vice-Chancellors and Syndicates. It is the students who are suffering," he emphasised.
Meanwhile, the long-standing dispute between the Raj Bhavan and the state government regarding university administration has escalated, culminating in the SFI organising massive marches to key institutions across the state on Tuesday, PTI reported.
These protests were reportedly in opposition to what the SFI alleged were attempts to 'saffronise' higher education under the influence of the Sangh Parivar.
Conversely, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fully supported Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, accusing the CPI(M) of using the SFI as a diversion from the genuine issues affecting the people of Kerala.
(With inputs from PTI)
