‘Sanghi, go back’: SFI is putting up banners against Governor across Kerala colleges

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has intensified its protests against Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, alleging that he, as the Chancellor, has been pushing nominees associated with BJP and RSS to the senate of various Kerala Universities. After Arif Khan forced the police to remove banners erected against him at the University of Calicut campus in Malappuram on December 17, SFI re-erected the banners the same night.

SFI launched its protest during the Governor's three-day stay at the Calicut University guest house, where he was scheduled to attend a function organised by the Chair for Sanathana Dharma Studies and Research under the University on December 18 afternoon.

Before the function commenced at the seminar complex, SFI activists staged a protest march to Pareeksha Bhavan, wearing black clothes and carrying black balloons. They also carried banners with slogans stating "We need Chancellor, not Savarkar."

As Arif Khan lashed out at the SFI and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, calling them "bullies", more banners mushroomed across colleges in Kerala. One at Sreesankara Vidyapeetom College in Perumbavoor said, "What you learnt at the (RSS) shakha should remain at the shakha."

A banner at the Iqbal College in Thiruvananthapuram said, "We haven't feared the Emergency, then why fear Arif Khan?"

"Hitler lost, Mussolini lost, even Sir C.P. lost and left, then who is Arif Khan?" asked a banner erected at the University of Kerala campus in Thiruvananthapuram.

A hoarding at the Government Arts College in Thiruvananthapuram took a jibe at the Chancellor, saying, "Those who bowed down to win are scared of those who stand straight and protest."

The SFI unit of the Maharaja's College in Ernakulam was more explicit, telling Arif Khan that "Keralam is not your father's property."

Banners raised at some colleges also contained provocative slogans such as "Don't spit hans and pan parag here."