'Cockroach Janata Party'-led agitation undermines KSU's fight against Satheesan

It was bad timing that primarily caused the premature death of the KSU's anti-Satheesan rebellion.

When thousands of students were getting shot at and brutalised by the Delhi police for asking questions about the NEET question paper leaks in the national capital, can a students' organisation like the KSU hope to sustain a fight against the appointment of certain lawyers just because they had once upon a time worked in other non-Congress students' organisations? Wouldn't it seem too self-centred at a time when students across the country were coming together for a universal cause?

These were some of the questions that the national leadership of the Congress and the National Students' Union (NSU) had put before Congress's student wing in Kerala. A top Congress source said Chief Minister V D Satheesan did not utter a word about the 'Cockroach Janata Party'-led student protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi when KSU leaders met him on July 20.

"But even before they entered the CM's room, the inappropriateness of their protest was conveyed to the KSU leaders. The CM also did not feel the need to placate the KSU. He was aloof and gave them a history of government pleader appointments during previous UDF governments and then he told them in no uncertain terms that the decisions would not be withdrawn," the source said.

That the KSU had abandoned its cause was evident after its leaders came out of their meeting with the CM. KSU president Aloshious Xavier seemed more impatient to somehow crush the perception that his organisation wanted to remain a perennial in-house rebel than to get his 'appointment' concerns addressed.

Xavier even shuffled his priorities. "Our basic complaint was that the CM had not listened to our grievances," Xavier said. Therefore, a meeting with the CM was the safe exit the KSU was offered. After the meeting, Xavier banged the gong of conciliation.

"The blood and sweat that we had shed in the last 10 years were also instrumental in this government coming to power. This is, therefore, our government. And this is our Chief Minister. So the allegation that the KSU is trying to destabilise this government is the work of faceless people who revel in the anonymity of the social media," Xavier said immediately after his meeting with the CM.

However, it does not look like the CM has put the bitterness behind. "We listened to them carefully, and explained why the government took certain decisions," Satheesan said at his post-Cabinet briefing on July 22, his grave tone hinting at a lingering annoyance.

"It is unfortunate that you are spreading the falsehood that the CM is not giving appointments," the CM said, apparently accusing the media but in reality his fingers were pointed at the KSU. "Anyone can come and meet me. Thousands of people visit me and I receive tens of thousands of complaints. A system has been put in place in the CM's Office to redress these grievances. My office has never denied permission to even a single person," the CM said, a subtle rebuttal of the KSU grouse that the CM had declined to meet its leaders.

He was then asked why he had refused to acknowledge the presence of Aloshious Xavier at S H College, Thevara, on July 17. "I came out of the function (at the College) by 2.50 pm, and I had to attend an online meeting chaired by the Prime Minister at 3 pm. I would reach the venue on time only if I start at 2.50 pm. I was rushing to the car that would take me to the venue of the PM's meeting. It just so happened that the KSU president was caught in a frame with me but it is not right to say that I had ignored the KSU president who also happens to be from my own district," Satheesan said.

And then, though he was smiling, his annoyance resurfaced. "Moreover, my office had also informed him (Xavier) that I was at the Ernakulam Guest House from 10 am to 1 pm. This programme at Thevara College was only at 2 p.m.," the CM said, once again emphasising that the KSU's resentment against him had no basis.

The impression of a CM-KSU feud was created by the now removed Congress spokesperson V R Anoop's remarks that the CM should have extended the KSU president at least the courtesy he had shown to Hindu Aikya Vedi leaders.

The right-wing Hindu Aikya Vedi itself was the CM's retort. In his post-Cabinet briefing, the CM offered his meeting with Hindu Aikya Vedi and SFI leaders as the clearest proof that he would not deny anyone a chance to meet him.