Kerala Police book 25 CUK students over protest during Vande Mataram seminar

Following protests that disrupted a national seminar on Vande Mantaram at the Central University of Kerala (CUK), the police have registered a case against 25 students, The Hindu reported.

The Bekal Police have registered the case suo motu after protesting students allegedly gathered in a group and disrupted the seminar, the report said.

The police action comes amid the students' protest against the national seminar on Vande Matram. The clash began after students protested against K Sreekumar, the programme’s chief organiser and the university’s proctor, and disrupted his speech, the report read.

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Students raise 'Go Back' slogans against university proctor

“The protesting students raised ‘Go Back’ slogans and switched off the microphone while Mr. Sreekumar was speaking on Wednesday, disrupting the seminar held at the university library hall. The protesters demanded that the programme be called off,” the report said.

There was also a verbal confrontation between the Students Federation of India (SFI), and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and other students organisations, it added.

According to the SFI, the vice-chancellor of the university was closely aligned with the RSS and accused the university administration of conducting the seminar after removing students from the venue, it said.

Sanjeev from SFI, alleged that the students across the country, including SFI members, sing the opening lines of Vande Mataram. However, he alleged that promoting portions beyond the opening lines amounted to “advancing a divisive agenda,” the report mentioned.

Sanjeev alleged that the Sangh Parivar was planning to organise similar programmes in universities across the country. The emphasis on Vande Mataram rather than Jana Gana Mana was part of “a communal strategy,” he added.

He also mentioned that the Kerala police had attacked SFI activists when they protested against the national seminar on Vande Matrum.