Malappuram: Hundreds of activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) protested at the Calicut University against Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan before his scheduled arrival Saturday evening.
The SFI, the students’ wing of ruling CPM, raised banners declaring the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of universities, was not welcome on the campus.
Malappuram District Police Chief Sasidharan S had led a 300-member police force to protect the Chancellor. Tight security had been arranged for his travel from the airport to the university.
After hours of protest, scores of SFI activists were removed from the campus. However, a group comprising at least 50 SFI activists, returned to the campus to shout ‘go back’ at the governor as his vehicle arrived around 7.15 pm.
Governor Khan had said he was ready to take the SFI’s protest head-on. “I was planning to stay at the government guest house. Then I was told that they (SFI activists) had vowed not to allow me to enter the university. Then I changed the programme. I will stay on the university campus itself,” Khan told reporters in New Delhi.
The Governor said he would get out of the car in case the protesters reach the vehicle. “If someone comes near my car, I will immediately stop it and get down. Why should they hit my car? They should hit me. If they have guts, they should hit me. They want to frighten me. I am not the one who can be frightened. They are bullying,” Khan said.
Why the double standard, police?
The Congress and Youth League have alleged that the state police went soft on the SFI activists, who protested against Governor Khan.
“It is the same police which passively looked into the incident where a handicapped protester from the opposition was beaten up by DYFI criminals,” said Riyas Mukkoli, KPCC secretary and former Youth Congress president.
“In all governments, the police show some kind of favouritism towards the ruling party but it was not visible in public places. But here in the second term of this government, the police are openly acting as government goondas. The police press non-bailable charges against the opposition members even in peaceful protests. Whereas, the Left organisation members are let off with lesser charges from the station itself.”
SFI state secretary P M Arsho, who was among the protesting Left members at Calicut University, were treated respectfully, the opposition members have alleged. A police officer called Arsho by name and politely asked him to come along. The lady officers tried to console a girl who cried while she was being dragged away by the cops, they alleged.
“The police would give special privilege to the people who are close to the government,” said P K Firoz, state secretary of the Youth League. “When the youth league and Youth Congress organised a protest, they were attacked with flower pots and helmets. The same police slapped harsher sections when the Youth League conducted a protest in Thiruvananthapuram and the prosecution has taken a stringent stand to deny bail. The government-sponsored protest is getting all the immunity from the police.”
Firoz and 30 other Youth League workers were remanded following a protest against the state government in Thiruvananthapuram the other day.
