7 student body activists arrested, case against 17 over ’attack’ on Kerala Governor

mangaloretoday.com

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 12, 2023: Activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), a student wing of the ruling CPI(M), landed in trouble after they waved black flags and allegedly attacked Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan’s vehicle while he was inside. Seven SFI workers were arrested while a case was registered against 17 of them in connection with the fresh protests against the Governor.

 

The seven SFI activists arrested have been charged under IPC Sections 143, 149 (punishment for unlawful assembly), 147 (Punishment for rioting), 283 (Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

The FIR said that the SFI activists, who alleged that the Governor appointed RSS nominees as members of the senate at Kerala University, disrupted traffic and the police from discharging their official duty.

The SFI activists showed black flags and raised slogans against the Governor.

According to a Raj Bhavan source, black flags were waved at Khan at three places, and on two occasions, his car was hit by the protesters. Police, on the other hand, said that the Governor’s vehicle was blocked by the SFI activists in only one place.

OPPOSITION LEADERS SLAM PINARAYI VIJAYAN

The opposition, including Congress and BJP leaders, have slammed Pinarayi’s government after the SFI activists protested and allegedly attacked the governor’s car.

Union Minister and BJP leader, V Muraleedharan, came down heavily on the Pinarayi Vijayan government as he said that the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Communist Party Secretary has been issuing threats to the Kerala Governor during the last few weeks.

He said, "The Kerala CM and the Communist Party Secretary has been issuing threats to the Kerala Governor during the last few weeks as the Governor is taking a firm stand against the corruption and nepotism of the state government."

Stating that the attack on the Governor depicts the level of law and order situation in the state, he said, "Yesterday’s incident in Thiruvananthapuram where the Kerala Governor was attacked depicts the level of law and order situation in the state.

"The fact that he was attacked thrice during his travel from Raj Bhavan to the airport, a distance of around 5 km and these people were let loose by the ruling front and the police were made ineffective to suit the interests of the people who were there to attack the Governor."

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that this is not the Nava Kerala the youth of the state want. Taking to X, he said, "Nava Kerala, according to Pinarayi Vijayan, is welcoming Hamas terrorists, intimidating the constitutional Governor, rampant corruption, destroying the economy, chasing investors, destroying jobs, filing cases against the media and political opponents, beating up those who question him.

"That is not the Kerala Malayali youth want - The future of Kerala is a developed, prosperous Kerala possible only without Left or its corrupt INDI ally Congress."

Congress Thiruvananthapuram MP, Shashi Tharoor called SFI’s protests as shameful. "Disgraceful behaviour by SFI goons in blocking Kerala Governor’s Arif Mohammad Khan’s car yesterday and assaulting his vehicle. His fury is entirely understandable. The police under Communist rule have been agents of lawlessness, complicit in the ruling party’s worst excesses. They allowed an assault on the Governor while allowing the manhandling of peaceful student demonstrators against the CM. Shameful."

Courtesy: India Today