The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has escalated its demonstrations against Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, accusing him, as the Chancellor, of promoting nominees linked to the BJP and RSS to the senates of several Kerala Universities.
After the removal of a banner reading “Sanghi Chancellor, wapas jao” at the University of Calicut campus on December 17, which Arif Khan pressured the police to enforce, SFI swiftly reinstated new banners that same night.
The new banners read “Mr. Chancellor, you are not welcome here” and “Mr. Chancellor, this is Kerala.”
The banners were seen across two dozen colleges in Kerala on Monday.
The left student body initiated its protest during the Governor’s three-day stay at the Calicut University guest house, where he was scheduled to attend a function organised by the Chair for Sanathana Dharma Studies and Research under the University on 18 December.
The SFI banners infuriated Khan, who came out of the guest house and shouted at the police officials.
“Don’t think you will go unaccountable, don’t be under that impression… Is the SFI running the university? They will put banners outside the guest house and you will have them there,” he said. “You (cops) don’t have eyes to see this. You want to insult me. If the Chief Minister is staying here, will you allow this?”
“We will protest relentlessly for sure. This a fight between Kerala and the RSS,” PM Arsho, state secretary of SFI said addressing protesters.
