Shailaja Teacher Condemns Online Attack on Maharaja's College Student
On Friday, the Students Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest during the convocation ceremony attended by the minister at the college against the suspension of its leaders at Sree Sankaracharya Sanskrit University in Kalady
Thiruvananthapuram: Senior CPI(M) leader K K Shailaja on Sunday condemned the alleged online attack by the Congress and IUML supporters against Nafisathul Mishriya, vice-chairperson of the SFI-led college union at Maharaja's College in Ernakulam, after she questioned Higher Education Minister Roji M John during a protest at the college's convocation ceremony.
On Friday, the Students Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest during the convocation ceremony attended by the minister at the college against the suspension of its leaders at Sree Sankaracharya Sanskrit University in Kalady.
Mishriya approached the minister while he was addressing the gathering and raised questions, even as other SFI activists staged a protest below the dais.
Though John offered to answer their questions, the protest continued, prompting him to cut short his speech and leave the venue.
Police later registered a case against the SFI activists.
The CPI(M) alleged that SFI activists, including Mishriya, were subjected to online attacks by Congress and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) supporters.
In a Facebook post, Shailaja described the alleged attacks and the registration of cases against the students as undemocratic and condemnable.
"Neither the student nor her questions can be silenced through such harassment," she said.
She said the suspension of the students at Sanskrit University for more than 60 days amounted to a denial of natural justice.
Shailaja also expressed concern over reports that the university was prepared to challenge even the court's decision allowing the students to appear for examinations.
"Treating students as adversaries and acting against them in this manner is not an exemplary approach for a university or its authorities," she said.
Such actions against students would undermine the achievements made by Keralam in the field of higher education, the CPI(M) leader added.
On Saturday, John criticised the SFI protest, accusing the activists of disrupting an academic event despite his offer to address their concerns after the proceedings.
He said he had asked the activists to wait until the convocation proceedings, including the distribution of certificates and mementoes to rank holders, were completed before he answered their questions, but they were not interested.
The minister said he respected students' democratic right to protest but maintained that such demonstrations should not undermine the dignity of academic functions.
