Will not nominate anyone from SFI to any body in any university: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Friday said as Chancellor of universities in the state he will not nominate anyone from SFI, the student wing of the ruling CPI(M), to any body of any varsity.

Khan referred to the Students Federation of India (SFI) activists as “criminals” and “brutes” who try to take the law into their own hands.

He also said that using violence to try to overawe people for achieving political objectives is the definition of terrorism.

He further said that no one with a criminal background or even those associated with “an organisation which indulges in violence on a regular basis” will be nominated to any body in the university.

“There is no way I am going to nominate anyone associated with such a violent organisation to any body of the university,” Khan said.

His remarks came in response to reporters’ referring to the SFI protesting against the persons nominated to the senate of the University of Kerala by the Chancellor.

“They can protest. I did not ask them to stop their protest earlier. I am not scared of them. I am ready to face these criminals, these brutes who try to take the law into their own hands,” Khan added.

To a reporter’s query on the alleged violence in university campuses by a particular student organisation, Khan said he was concerned about it and therefore, directions will be issued to all Vice Chancellors to “curb it with a heavy hand” and not allow anyone to violate the rules and laws of the varsity inside the campus.

He said that his duty as Chancellor was to make the students understand that “violence is negation not only of democracy, but it is also negation of civilised conduct”.

“Indulging in violence, to my mind, is a serious offence. You are trying to overawe people to achieve your political objectives. That is the definition of terrorism.” The Left student outfit has been at the receiving end of severe criticism from not only the Congress-led UDF opposition, but also the CPI — a key ally of the CPI(M) and the Left front led by it — which called for mending of the SFI’s ways.

CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam had on Thursday said that if SFI’s ways were not corrected, it would become a liability for the Left front in Kerala.

The increase in criticism of the SFI came in the wake of some of its recent activities, which included the alleged slapping of a college principal and beating up of a KSU leader in the University of Kerala campus, which have been in the news.