KOCHI
A Students Federation of India (SFI) activist landed in trouble after a video of him taking a picture of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi after garlanding it with a Christmas wreath, besides putting up a sunglass at the Bharata Mata School of Legal Studies at Edathala emerged on social media.
Kerala Students Union (KSU) State general secretary Al Ameen A.A. lodged a police complaint in its wake on Monday seeking strict action against the SFI leader and final year law student Abin Nasar for showing disrespect towards the Father of Nation. The Edathala police recorded the petitioner’s statement on Tuesday and is in the process of registering a case. However, the police could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
The student in question is Adeen Nazar, the unit secretary of the SFI on the campus. He was booked under IPC Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 426 (mischief). However, the SFI district leadership claimed that he was no longer part of the leadership on the campus. “He was eased out as unit secretary about a month ago on his request citing health grounds. Besides, he had already publicly apologised for his act on the direction of the college authorities,” claimed SFI district secretary Arjun Babu.
However, Mr. Ameen said the claim was not true, and that the accused continued to be the SFI unit secretary on the campus and area committee secretary. He alleged that the accused could also be heard passing the comment that since Gandhi was long dead his act did not matter. The video, he said, was taken on December 21 and was initially posted in the college WhatsApp group.
“The video was taken down from the group in the face of protests. We had brought the matter to the notice of both the college authorities and the SFI leadership demanding action. However, neither acted. To our knowledge, the college had not acted against the accused nor had he tendered an apology,” said Mr. Ameen.
Neither the college principal nor the student concerned could be reached despite repeated attempts.
