Students Federation of India (SFI) activists staged spirited protests inside and outside the campus of the University of Calicut at Tenhipalam in Malappuram district on Saturday evening as Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan arrived there on a three-day visit amid tight security.
Addressing the media at the university guest house, Mr. Khan repeated his allegation that those protesting against him were “criminals hired by the Chief Minister”. “... I am not aware of the protest, where is the protest? Whatever protest is there, it is sponsored by the Chief Minister personally because he wants to divert attention from [the financial] crisis in the State,” Mr. Khan said. Asked about the alleged bid to “saffronise the universities”, he said Kerala had the largest number of ancient temples in the country and asked whether they all can be removed. Mr. Khan also said that according to verses in the Koran, saffron was the colour best suited for the eyes.
The SFI activists began their protest on the campus around 4 p.m., a couple of hours before the Governor was supposed to reach there. A large number of SFI activists, carrying placards and black flags, took out marches from two sides of the campus to the guest house where Mr. Khan is staying.
‘Clothes torn
As P.M. Arsho, SFI State secretary, delivered a speech, the activists were surrounded by police personnel. Mr. Arsho alleged that Mr. Khan was behaving like a ‘goonda.’ Soon after this, the protesters, who staged a sit-in, were taken away to nearby parked police vehicles. When some of the activists resisted the police action and lay on the road, a scuffle broke out between the two. The SFI activists later alleged that the clothes of women activists were torn in the melee. It took around an hour to remove all protesters.
Malappuram Superintendent of Police S. Sasidharan and Kondotty Deputy Superintendent of Police Moosa Vallikkadan were present.
Meanwhile, around 7 p.m., reports came that Mr. Khan had reached the Calicut International Airport and was on his way to the campus. Police personnel were deployed throughout the route. Just ahead of his motorcade reaching the university, scores of SFI activists sprung from nowhere and staged another round of sit-in a few metres away from the guest house. Senior CPI(M) leaders were also present at the scene. However, by around 8 p.m. the protesters were arrested and taken away.
Banners put up
Ahead of the protests, the SFI activists had put up banners on the campus against the Governor, saying ‘ Sanghi Chancellor wapas jao’, ‘Mr. Chancellor, you are not welcome’, and ‘Chancellor go back’. Anticipating trouble, around 600 police personnel, sourced from across the district, were deployed in and around the university. Only those in the personal staff of Mr. Khan and police officials are allotted room at the guest house till Monday. The Governor is supposed to attend a wedding in Kozhikode on Sunday and participate in an academic event on the university campus on Monday.
