Thiruvananthapuram: An independent commission led by Justice P K Shamsuddin has pointed out how violence was perpetuated by students’ outfits at various colleges in Kerala and recommended actions to stop these.
Most of the complaints were against Students' Federation of India (SFI), as per the report submitted by the commission to the governor. The report also said that rooms allotted for students' union activities were turning into assault rooms. The independent commission was set up post the stabbing incident at the University College in Thiruvananthapuram in July by the Save University College Campaign Committee, an initiative led by academics, activists, former staff and alumni.
The commission pointed out that assault rooms existed at the University College in Thiruvananthapuram, Government Arts College, MG College, Maharaja's College in Ernakulam, and Government College Madappally in Kozhikode. The colleges in which they have an upper hand, the leaders do not allow other students' outfits to function nor do they allow them to freely take part in elections. The Commission also hinted that certain teachers' outfits were also supporting them.
To put an end to all this, the Commission recommended the setting up of the system of ombudsman at the colleges.
How to put an end to political violence at campus
The Commission recommended the implementation of a stringent code of conduct to put an end to the political violence at campuses. The report also pointed out that the administrative-legal systems were not able to contain the violence. Nor the anti-ragging law could be implemented effectively. Even the police are forced to give protection to those criminals who are close to the ruling front, the report alleged.
The first-year students mostly end up being the victims of violence. Majority of the students pointed fingers at those in the SFI in most instances of inhuman attacks.
The students also alleged that during such violent incidents, teachers, who were also leaders of certain outfits, either remained passive witnesses or tried helping the assailants. It was also pointed out that the question papers were leaked or the answer sheets were unlawfully given to the union leaders.
Unsuitable students were allegedly given admission to colleges through spot admission, sports quota or inter-college transfer. The students' union that gets elected unopposed most often do not allow the rival candidates to even file the nomination papers. The report said that a faulty political leadership was behind the violence at colleges.
The Commission also recommended the formation of a state-level problem redressal forum to counter the human rights' violations at the campuses. It also sought to put an end to the spot admission held at the college level.
Dr V Thankamani, J Sandhya, professor S Varghese, and professor G George are the other members of the commission.
Other main suggestions
* The internal committee to stop sexual harassment at workplace should be started at all colleges to resolve the problems of the girl students.
* Students should not be forcefully made to take part in demonstrations and events.
* Students should not be forced to give money for the college union or outfits.
* Elections should be held under the complete supervision of those appointed by the university.
* The announcement of election results should be withheld if there are complaints against those elected unopposed.
