SFI Keralam says it will not be intimidated by MSF, warns against further violence

Police personnel stationed on the University of Calicut campus at Tenhipalam in Malappuram district on Wednesday.

Students’ Federation of India (SFI) State secretary P.S. Sanjeev has issued a strong warning to the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), following the violence on the University of Calicut campus, declaring that the SFI would not be intimidated by attacks and that attempts to weaken the organisation would be resisted.

The remark comes in the wake of clashes between the SFI and the United Democratic Students’ Front (UDSF) comprising the MSF and the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU), during the counting of votes in the Calicut University campus union election on October 28. The violence left several students injured and prompted police intervention, including a lathicharge. The university subsequently suspended classes for two days.

Speaking to reporters in Thalassery on Friday, Mr. Sanjeev said the MSF should not assume that it could eliminate or intimidate the SFI through violence. He alleged that MSF activists were attacking their opponents in a manner resembling terrorist violence and accused the police of failing to take action against those responsible, despite the availability of video footage identifying the attackers.

“All the visuals of those involved in the violence have come out, yet the police are not taking action against them. Do not think that the SFI can be reduced to ashes. MSF knows the strength of SFI,” he said.

Issuing a strong political warning, Mr. Sanjeev said the SFI had the organisational strength to prevent MSF activists from entering campuses if it decided to do so, but urged the MSF leadership not to provoke such a situation.

He also cautioned the MSF against challenging the SFI’s influence on campuses, saying the organisation was moving forward with the confidence of leaders, including Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P.K Kunhalikutty.

He maintained that resistance against attacks should not be viewed as an offence, asserting that self-defence is not a crime.

The SFI won all nine general seats in the campus union election. However, tensions escalated following an alleged attack on SFI leaders who visited injured activists at DMS Hospital in Tenhipalam.

The police registered cases against MSF activists over the alleged hospital attacks, including charges relating to attempted murder. The university also constituted a four-member committee to investigate the campus violence.

Responding to criticism directed at actor Mammootty following his meeting with SFI and DYFI leaders, Mr. Sanjeev said criticism was a natural part of public life and there was nothing wrong with expressing disagreement.

He said the party secretary had already made the party’s position clear on the controversy.

The meeting with Mammootty had triggered criticism among sections of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPIM] supporters on social media, particularly against the backdrop of an earlier controversy involving the actor and CPI(M) Wayanad district secretary K. Rafeeq. Mr. Sanjeev defended the interaction, saying the issue involving Mr. Rafeeq had already been resolved.