Calicut, Kerala (VSK). Governor Arif Mohammed Khan ignored the threats and challenges of SFI and CPM and reached Calicut Varsity campus, on December 16, to stay there for couple of days. SFI had threatened, they would not let the Governor step into any university campus. But, Governor, before emplaning from New Delhi, had said that none can frighten him. He said, if SFI goons come closer to his vehicle and attack it, he would alight from the car. The car is a public property hence should not be hit. He said, they can hit him if they want.
SFI men protested two hours before the Governor’s arrival. Anticipating stiff protests, there was stringent police protection around the Calicut Varsity guest house. But police arrested the protesters and removed them at least couple of hours before the Governor’s arrival. SFI state president and secretary led the protests and raised derogatory slogans against the Governor. Obviously, the visuals speak out that the police treatment to SFI men was ‘too soft to believe’.
After reaching the varsity guest house, Governor asked, while talking to the media, where was the protest. He said, he did not see any protest. He reiterated his stand that the protesters cannot hit the car, they can hit him if they want. He said, Swami Vivekananda is his role model. Swami Ji had called on the people to face the attackers boldly. SFI men are criminals. CM has hired them. CM sponsored the protests. State is in acute financial crisis; government is unable to pay even the pension. CM wants to divert the people’s attention from this pathetic condition. People who worked for 30 to 40 years do not get pension whereas the politically appointed personal staff of the ministers get pension after working for two and half years. Kerala’s economy depends on the monies remitted by the elite people who leave Kerala and work abroad or in other states.
Governor added that he is answerable to the President of the country alone. Answering a question regarding the saffronisation of the varsities, he shot back – “Lot of ancient temples are in the state. Is that saffronisation too?” He said that saffron is the most suitable colour for the eyes, according to Quran.
In the meantime, CM Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that Governor used bad words against the SFI workers and violated the protocol by coming out from the car. (There were reports that Governor said, the attackers were criminals. He said so when the SFI men blocked and hit his car on December 14 in Thiruvananthapuram). CM said, SFI’s protest is natural and Governor had invited it.
SFI had declared that they would not protest against the Governor during his travel for the wedding ceremony. But they are going to protest on December 18 when Governor inaugurates a seminar on “The Contributions of Sree Narayana Gurudev, Chattambi Swamiji & Shubhananda Gurudev towards the renaissance of Kerala”, the programme organised, under the joint auspices of Sanatan Dharma Peetham and Bharatiya Vichar Kendra, at Calicut Varsity campus.
After the seminar, Governor is scheduled to return to Thiruvananthapuram on December 18. And, Police is all set to take stringent steps for his safe travel from Thiruvananthapuram airport to Raj Bhavan.
Governor instructed the police to remove the banners, erected in the Calicut Varsity campus, against him. He asked them who permitted the SFI men to erect such banners in the campus. He has also asked the Raj Bhavan secretary to seek explanation from the Vice Chancellor about the banners in the campus.
