Dramatic scenes during convocation ceremony at Maharaja's College; SFI activists surround Minister Roji M John

KOCHI: Dramatic scenes unfolded at Maharaja's College in Kochi when SFI activists staged a protest against Higher Education Minister Roji M John during a convocation ceremony. The protest was against the suspension of 16 students of Kalady Sanskrit University. The incident took place while the minister was addressing the gathering at the convocation ceremony. SFI activists carrying banners and placards walked onto the stage and surrounded the minister, raising their protest. Following this, the minister left the venue.

However, the SFI Ernakulam district secretary said the protest was peaceful. He clarified that the students had no intention of disrupting the convocation ceremony or attacking the minister. They had only sought answers to their questions, he said.

SFI alleged that the university suspended the students by portraying a play staged during a protest over basic facilities as a violent agitation. The students had organised the play to protest against faulty lighting facilities on the campus. However, the minister and others had described it as a protest involving a symbolic funeral procession with a coffin, the students alleged. The SFI also claimed that 60 days had passed since the students were suspended.

Ensuring basic facilities for students at Kalady Sanskrit University, filling vacant teaching posts, providing clean drinking water and reinstating the suspended students are among the major demands raised by the SFI. The organisation also alleged that some departments were functioning without teachers and that students faced delays in receiving certificates and other documents.