Six leaders of the Student Federation of India (SFI) were suspended by Sree Kerala Varma College (SKVC) on Monday for conducting a beef festival and protest following the murder of Mohammad Akhlaq in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly over rumours of storing and consuming beef.
SFI will observe a day of protest in the district on Tuesday against the suspension.
The beef festival in the campus had resulted in clashes between Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the SFI when ABVP workers tried to block the SFI activists from distributing beef dishes.
According to The Hindu, college principal CM Latha said non-vegetarian dishes were not allowed on the college campus as part of any public function. The SFI did not seek the principal’s permission to conduct the festival.
Serving of beef as part of a public festival is against the tradition of the college. So, the management felt it was not proper to conduct a beef festival on the campus. Though the SFI students were told to conduct the beef protest outside the campus, they insisted on conducting it on the campus.
— CM Latha, SKVC principal to The Hindu
She said that explanation will be sought from ABVP unit too.
Period of suspension will be decided after an inquiry.
— CM Latha, SKVC principal to The Hindu
Meanwhile, the six suspended students were arrested for attacking ABVP workers as per the complaint filed by the college. They were later let out on bail. The college union office was burnt during the clashes and a few students were severely injured, with some reportedly being hospitalised.
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