End culture of political violence on Kerala campuses
Kerala has a long history of campus politics— one that is sprinkled with blood. And the murder of a student at Government Engineering College, Painavu in Idukki district, earlier this week adds another gory chapter to that. The streak of political violence on campuses that started in the early 1970s has claimed at least 35 lives so far, and is unlikely to end anytime soon given how the student politics mirrors the prevailing political culture.
In Kerala politics, murder for ideology is not only justified but even glorified by parties. After every such killing, bodies are taken in processions, grand memorials are built and provocative speeches are made. Their names are invoked in every election. The murder of SFI student-activist Dheeraj Rajendran by Youth Congress members should be seen in this context. Moreover, it took place close on the heels of the recent political killings in the state. Student outfits that wield considerable control over academic institutions are an endless source of loyal cadre for parties.
That is exactly why the parties protested vehemently when the Kerala HC in 2017 held that politics has no place in educational campuses. When the court in 2020 banned strikes and demonstrations in campuses, the parties said the order went against the rights guaranteed under the Constitution and the LDF government promptly drafted a bill to overrule the order. The bill is yet to be passed. The argument is campus politics has a larger role of instilling the values of democracy in students. In reality, instead of democratising campuses, student politics has converted educational institutions into impregnable fortresses of some outfits where others are barred from even hoisting their flags.
Some campuses in Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Kannur are a virtual replication of party villages that do not allow rivals to function. It is the attempt of rival outfits to break the shackles that leads to violence. If parties can’t rein in their student outfits and be proactive in putting an end to this violent streak, they must be prepared to stay away from campuses completely. The ugliness of politics cannot be allowed to vitiate the academic atmosphere. The latest killing must provoke a rethinking on the relevance of party-based politics on campuses.