ABVP defies govt to hold Partition event; Bindu says universities rejected guv's call

Time of India

2 days ago

Kasaragod: A clash erupted between the activists of SFI and
ABVP
at the Kasaragod Govt College, Vidhyanagar, as the RSS's student outfit defied state govt's call and organized Partition Horrors Day observance on the campus on Thursday morning .
A
BVP members organized the event following governor Rajendra Arlekar's circular for observance of the day in state universities on Aug 14, which Raj Bhavan said was based on Union home ministry's instructions. Posters related to the event were pasted on the college campus following which the SFI workers took out a march in protest and raised slogans. The agitators removed some of the posters, leading to a scuffle.
Higher education minister R Bindu, meanwhile, said the academic community 'unconditionally' rejected the governor's call.
In the Kasaragod college, the police dispersed SFI activists. They burned Arlekar in effigy while their ABVP counterparts again put up the posters on the college notice board.
Members of MSF, IUML's student wing, also demanded the posters pasted by ABVP workers be removed. Though the police blocked the MSF march, an altercation between the two outfits followed.
The college principal demanded ABVP remove the posters. Subsequently, they were removed and the situation became normal.
ABVP observed Partition Horrors Day also at Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, and IHRD College, Kumbala.
ABVP slams disruptions
ABVP condemned attempts by Left activists and KSU workers to disrupt Partition Horrors Day remembrance.
In a statement, ABVP claimed that despite the state govt's refusal, ABVP was able to organize programmes highlighting the Partition horrors.
The fragmentation of Akhand Bharat led to the persecution of millions, the statement said. "The real stories of Partition are being obscured by Congress and communist parties," ABVP state secretary E U Eswaraprasad said.
A talk was convened by the Cusat vice-chancellor where ex-CUK vice-chancellor G Gopakumar addressed the attendees. However, the official said Cusat had not sent any official invitations to the university community.
As chancellor of universities, the governor had issued the directive to the vice-chancellors to organise seminars to commemorate the day and to forward the action plans regarding this. The LDF govt said such programmes need not be held in universities.
Bindu told reporters in Thrissur that there was no tug of war between the state govt and governor. "Everybody must work by giving utmost importance to the interests of the students and of the state.
The vice-chancellors also have pivotal roles to play in these efforts," the minister said.
Bindu said the state govt would implement various development projects to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore in the higher education sector. The academic community has rejected the efforts to disrupt peace when the sector is poised for growth, she said.
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