THALASSERY: The police on Thursday blocked the attempts of ABVP students in Thalassery Brennen College to erect their flag mast, which was removed by the Principal the other day.

The ABVP students reached the college while the procession of the Fraternity movement was passing by the college.

The police blocked their attempt, saying that erecting flag pole while the procession was going on would create tension and they could do it with the principal’s permission after the procession was over.

As the workers were not ready for this, there occurred an argument and a minor scuffle between them and the police. They started shouting slogans, standing near the college.

The action of In-Charge principal Falgunan on Wednesday had triggered a controversy. On request, he had allowed the ABVP students to erect the flag but asked them to remove it within 30 minutes. When the workers failed to remove the flag within the permitted time, he himself pulled it down and handed it over to the police. The video of this had become viral on social media.

The ABVP had come out in protest against the principle for taking a stand against ABVP while allowing the SFI flags and banners inside the college for years now. On Wednesday 9 pm, ABVP-Yuva Morcha-BJP workers took a protest march to Falgunan’s rented house at Palayadu Vellozhukku Narivayalil.

While the police blocked the march, the leaders pulled back workers who tried to barge into the principal’s house. BJP national executive committee member P K Krishnas and other leaders had reached the spot.

In between, the principal had called for a meeting of leaders of students’ organisations. But the ABVP later alleged that they were not invited to the meeting and the principal was working under pressure from top-rung CPM leaders.

VIRAL VIDEO OF PRINCIPAL REMOVING ABVP FLAG POLE