The state government’s draft bill to legalise student unions in higher educational institutions in Kerala has been met with criticism. The LDF government in Kerala during a cabinet meeting gave a go ahead for a new legislation and a draft bill has also been approved.
'Metroman' E Sreedharan and the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council have voiced their opposition against legalising students unions in educational institutions.
Speaking at an event in Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s principal advisor E Sreedharan, popularly called as Metroman, stated that many problems arise because politics is entering campuses, reports Manorama News.
“A public interest litigation will be filed in the High Court by the Foundation for Restoration of National Values (which he is a part of) questioning the decision of the government,” said E Sreedharan.
The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has also criticised the decision by saying that the move will disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of campuses. KCBC slammed the attacks that took place in Thiruvananthapuram University College and Maharajas College in Ernakulam in the name of student’s politics. The body is also planning to move court against the government’s decision.
In 2017, the Kerala High Court had banned student politics in campuses. Following this, many educational institutions had strictly banned any activity related to student’s politics.
The Kerala government’s recently passed draft bill is aimed to legalise the formation of student unions in educational institutions and to protect the interest of the students and academic rights of students. The bill also emphasises the formation of an authority to address the grievances of students and parents.
This comes months after the stabbing case in a Thiruvananthapuram college, where the members of the Student’s Federation of India (SFI), the students' wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), were accused of stabbing Akhil, also an SFI member.
On July 2, 2018, Abhimanyu, a 20-year-old BSc Chemistry student in Maharaja’s college, was stabbed to death in a clash that broke out between students of SFI and Campus Front of India in the college.