Thiruvananthapuram: A student of the University College in Thiruvananthapuram have been stabbed on his chest allegedly for falling out with the dominant faction of SFI, the students wing of Kerala ruling CPI-M.The incident prompted the students of the university to come together cutting across their political affiliations and launch an agitation to demand strict action against the culprits. Ironically, the victim too belonged to the SFI, but had fallen out with some of its leaders. The agitating students held a march to the state secretariat to press for their demand.
The trouble was triggered by an innocuous incident in which the victim and his friends did an impromptu singing session in the university canteen. A girl student leader belonging to the SFI, probably from the victim’s rival group, objected to the singing and this led to an altercation. A group fight broke out, in which the student was stabbed. The boy is in hospital, recovering from his wound.
The incident caused such embarrassment to the party that the all-India SFI leadership promptly announced dissolution of its unit in the University College.
The national leadership was forced to act as the students, who also included SFI supporters, rose as one to denounce the ways of SFI leaders.
Many students who took part in the Secretariat march said they too were SFI members. “We too are part of the SFI but those who have won the College elections in the name of SFI are trying to stifle democracy in the college,” one of the students said.
