KOCHI: The SFI is facing criticism over the disruption of the convocation ceremony at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, which left students and their parents — eagerly waiting to celebrate their academic achievement — disappointed.
The students who could not receive their certificates directly from Higher Education Minister Roji M John at the event met him at St Mary’s LPS, Angamaly, on Saturday and collected them.
The chief minister’s office (CMO) condemned the SFI activists for disrupting the ceremony and preventing the minister from proceeding with the programme, while Roji alleged that the SFI activists were intent on creating disturbance rather than getting answers.
The convocation ceremony was abruptly halted on Friday after SFI workers disrupted the minister’s speech, demanding the revocation of the suspension of 16 students of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady.
The CMO alleged that the activists “behaved like criminals and created an atmosphere of intimidation on the campus instead of showing their protest democratically”.
The SFI leadership should apologise to the students, their parents and the public for spoiling one of the most important days in students’ lives, it said.
Stringent action against those responsible: CMO
The CMO also warned that strict action would be taken against those responsible.
Meanwhile, Roji said the incident was unfortunate and that a convocation ceremony had its own discipline and protocol. He said he had asked the students to raise their questions after the programme in view of the protocol. He said he had answered their questions before leaving the venue and was not someone who would ask students to “go home and ask”.
Described the protest at Kalady as uncivilised and violent, he said the decision to revoke the suspension of students there rested with the university.
Amrith G Kumar, a professor at the Central University of Kerala, said the disruption deprived students and their parents of a moment they had waited years for. He said the students could have asked the minister to expedite the inquiry or the process to resolve the suspension of students at the Kalady university instead of demanding his direct intervention in the functioning of an autonomous institution.
“Autonomous institutions could not accept direct intervention by a minister in their administrative and academic affairs, as it would raise questions about their autonomy and the legitimacy of their decisions,” he said.
He said the minister should ensure that students are heard and given adequate time to raise their concerns. If students were unaware of the legal limitations on ministerial intervention, they should be made aware of them, he said.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the alleged cyberattacks against SFI activist Nafeesathul Misriya, who questioned the minister at the event, and the police action against students in the incident. He termed the attacks and police action undemocratic and inhuman.
