Kerala Governor challenges SFI activists to block his car at Calicut University campus

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan challenges SFI activists to to block his car. SFI says it will wave black flags and raise slogans. UDF opposes Khan's alleged bid to stack Senates with Sangh Parivar nominees.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan appeared to throw down the gauntlet to Students’ Federation of India (SFI) activists protesting against his impending arrival at the Calicut University campus on December 16 (Saturday) evening for a two-night stay.

Speaking to journalists in New Delhi, Mr. Khan said he would confront SFI activists if they attempted to block his car. “They should hit me and not my vehicle”, he said.

The SFI also seemed poised for a showdown with the Governor. The students’ organisation has strung black banners on the campus announcing that the Chancellor was not “welcome here” and demanding that he “go back.

The SFI said the demonstrations against the Chancellor would be “a democratic exercise of dissent” with Mr. Khan’s alleged attempt to stack the Senates of the Kerala and the Calicut varsities with Sangh Parivar nominees. The SFI activists would not block his car. The activists would merely wave black flags and raise slogans, it said.

Meanwhile, the State police have brought the campus under a heavy security cover. Mr. Khan has announced his stay at the Calicut University guest house on Saturday and Sunday night to attend a seminar organised by the varsity’s Sanatana Dharma Chair.

“They (SFI) said they would not allow me to stay in the government guest house. So, I decided to take my protest to them by staying on the varsity campus. I am living on borrowed time. I have passed the national life expectancy average. I have survived five attempts to harm me. I am not easily scared by bullies and goons. They have no strength of conviction, and bullies run away at the slightest hint of resistance”, Mr. Khan said.

He added that SFI activists had the right to wave black flags or protest within the bounds of law. “Will the police allow anybody to waylay and attack the Chief Minister’s car as they (SFI) did to my motorcade in Thiruvananthapuram?” Mr. Khan asked.