THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The SFI on Sunday disbanded its Wayanad district committee for conducting the protest march that culminated in the attack on the office of MP Rahul Gandhi on June 24.
The incident had evoked nationwide condemnation and embarrassed CPM as well as the LDF government.
At its meeting in Thrissur, the student outfit’s state committee appointed a seven-member ad hoc panel in Wayanad as replacement.
"The action has been taken against the district committee for carrying out the march without the state committee’s knowledge," SFI said in a statement. It admitted that SFI's image had taken a hit after the incident.
"The state committee examined the issue and found a serious lapse on the part of the district unit. The latter is bound to inform the state committee of the decision to hold such a protest and obtain permission. This was not done," SFI state president K Anusree told reporters in Thrissur.
Though the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) issue was a serious matter that would affect many people, the manner in which the protest was carried out was improper, Anusree said.
SFI workers had ransacked Rahul’s office and manhandled a staffer during the protest against the MP's alleged 'inaction' in connection with the Supreme Court order that mandated an ESZ zone of one km around protected forest tracts and wildlife sanctuaries. Wayanad is one of the worst-affected areas in the wake of the SC verdict.