Maharaja's College protest sparks row; Minister Roji M John takes sarcastic swipe at Pinarayi

Higher Education Minister Roji M John's speech at an event at Maharaja's College in Ernakulam, which was interrupted by an SFI activist, has triggered a war of words between the UDF and the LDF. On Saturday, the minister took a sarcastic swipe at Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan over the latter's criticism of the incident.

The incident occurred on Friday when the minister faced protests by SFI activists during a convocation ceremony at the college. The activists disrupted the event to protest the suspension of 16 students of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS), Kalady. They demanded that the minister withdraw remarks they considered disparaging towards the students, who were suspended over their participation in a protest against SSUS interim Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas.

Following the incident, Pinarayi Vijayan took to social media to condemn the alleged cyberattacks by Congress and Muslim League workers against SFI activist Nafeesathul Misri, who questioned the minister, as well as the police action against students by naming them as accused in the case. He termed the actions extremely undemocratic and inhumane.

Meanwhile, John responded with a sarcastic social media post, taking a dig at the former Chief Minister. He said it was his own fault that he had failed to uphold the 'democratic values' demonstrated by Pinarayi, who had allegedly driven protesters away by telling them to 'get out' or 'go home and ask'.

He also cited the Opposition leader's response to protests during the Nava Kerala Sadas, sarcastically referring to the 'rescue operations' involving flower pots and helmets, as well as the restrictions on black banners, masks and clothing at the event.

John also took a swipe at former Health Minister Veena George over her allegation that she was attacked by protesting KSU activists in Kannur. "Unlike your colleagues, I do not suffer from a neck strain whenever slogans are raised," he said. "I only know the language of democracy. If that is my shortcoming, let it remain so," he added.

In his post, Pinarayi had also criticised the minister for allegedly remaining indifferent when an RSS nominee was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, when RSS sympathisers were inducted in large numbers into its Senate and Syndicate, and when 32 RSS members were appointed to the Boards of Studies at the University of Calicut.

He said the students had questioned the minister's alleged allegiance to the Sangh Parivar, pointing out that he had also facilitated the anti-student actions of the current Vice-Chancellor of Kalady University, who was appointed on the recommendation of the former Governor.

Pinarayi further alleged that the police had failed to register even a petty case when Sangh Parivar activists stopped and humiliated the Local Self-Government Minister on the road. However, they had invoked non-bailable sections against students who questioned the Higher Education Minister, in what he described as a retaliatory move. He said this exposed the government's blatant double standards and politics of appeasement.