4 students, including 3 from KSU, were injured in the clash of rival political student groups
Hours after widely shared visuals of a woman student leader of Kerala Students Union (KSU) - a Congress-affiliated students' group - being dragged was widely shared, Opposition Leader VD Sateeshan and Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan engaged in a war of words over campus violence in Kerala Assembly.
At least four students, including three from KSU, were injured in the clash of rival political student groups, according to police.
Introducing a submission, VD Sateeshan hit out at the CPM-affiliated Student Federation of India (SFI): "Around 8 pm on Tuesday, KSU Unit General Secretary Ashique and another office bearer Nithin were brutally attacked by SFI workers in the college. Seeing this attack, KSU Unit President Safna Yaqoob came running and tried to save them. She was kicked and pushed down, dragged and attacked. A 19-20 year old girl."
"At least those of you have daughters, must listen to this. They were again attacked by a mob when they were at the hospital. What is even more painful, this incident happened at Law College, when police was watching and standing by. Now the situation is such that can't differentiate between SFI workers and goondas. This needs to be addressed seriously," VD Sateeshan added, amid uproar and slogans of "shame" from the Opposition. The leader went on to narrate several other instances alleging violence by SFI workers.
In response, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hit out at Mr Sateeshan and said he was speaking like a former KSU or Youth Congress Leader, rather than as someone holding the post of an Opposition Leader.
"The reaction from the Opposition Leader on one of the strongest student bodies in Kerala, is more like a KSU or youth Congress leader of old. This is not expected out of him. SFI has not been accepted only by male students but thousands of women as well. Can a prominent student's organisation be tarnished to any extend? Can he use the position of an Opposition Leader for that? You all know how SFI emerged, against the violence of KSU," Mr Vijayan said.
"The College Union inauguration at Law College was from 4 pm to 7:30 pm. The inauguration time was over, but some students remained there without returning. There was a clash between KSU-SFI students after the allotted time for the inauguration. Injured students are being treated at Medical College. Today early morning the Museum police has registered a case. Police report says students from both sides have been injured. This is being seen in all seriousness," the Chief Minister added.
The Opposition leader hit back at the Chief Minister saying insulting him with words was nothing short of giving licence to a group that behaves like goons. "When our girls are attacked, we will bring up that issue," Mr Sateeshan said.
Two FIRs have been filed based on the complaints of KSU, as well as SFI, according to the police. "Probe is under way. No arrests have been made yet", a police official said.