UDF compromising higher education, allowing Sangh Parivar influence: Pinarayi
Kerala Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday accused the United Democratic Front (UDF) government of compromising higher education policies by allowing the influence of the Sangh Parivar to grow in the sector. Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, he claimed that the state's higher education sector was in a poor state and that the government was suppressing student protests instead of addressing academic, administrative and infrastructure concerns.
Vijayan, who is also the state secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), made the remarks against the backdrop of ongoing protests at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady. Students have been demanding improvements to infrastructure and redressal of administrative lapses. The Leader of the Opposition alleged that students who raised these issues were being slapped with false cases.
The Sree Sankaracharya University, named after the revered philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, has been a focal point of student agitations in recent weeks. Protesters have camped on the campus, demanding better hostel facilities, timely conduct of examinations, and action against alleged administrative mismanagement. The university administration has denied charges of negligence and said it is addressing the demands.
He also questioned Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar's reported decision to summon the State Police Chief and seek action against protesting students. Vijayan said such interventions undermined the federal principles of the Constitution. "The same enthusiasm to crush student protests seen at Jantar Mantar is being replicated in Kerala with the Governor, Vice-Chancellors and the UDF government acting together," he said.
In a direct attack on the government's approach, Vijayan pointed to alleged double standards in handling dissent. He noted that student leaders such as Aishe Ghosh were banned from campuses, while some vice-chancellors could openly attend programmes of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The remarks come amid a broader political debate over the role of the Governor in the state's affairs. The CPI(M) has repeatedly accused Governor Arlekar of overstepping his constitutional mandate, while the Raj Bhavan has maintained that the Governor is duty-bound to ensure law and order.
On a separate matter, Vijayan dismissed as contemptuous the remarks made by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan about Assembly Speaker A.N. Shamseer. "Such an assessment is contemptuous, and the party rejects it," he said, without elaborating on the specific remarks. The SNDP is a prominent social organization in Kerala, and its general secretary's comments had been widely discussed in political circles.
Vijayan also demanded that the state government and Members of Parliament make effective interventions to reverse the decision to shift Mangaluru out of the Palakkad railway division. He argued that the decision would affect the region's rail connectivity and urged the government to press the Railways Ministry on the issue.
In a related observation on his own party, Vijayan asserted that no one had risen to a leadership position in the CPI(M) through "shortcuts," a statement seen as a response to criticisms of the party's internal functioning.
The UDF government had not issued an immediate response to Vijayan's allegations. The ruling front has consistently denied claims of political interference in higher education institutions and has maintained that student grievances are addressed through proper channels.
