SFI banners against Chancellor at Calicut University: Kerala governor to seek explanation from VC

Malappuram (Kerala), Dec 17 (PTI) Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was on Sunday seen directing his secretary at the Raj Bhavan to seek an explanation from the Vice Chancellor of Calicut University on how banners against the Chancellor were allowed to be put up by SFI in various parts of the varsity.

Visuals on TV showed Khan, accompanied by his security detail, pointing out the Students' Federation of India (SFI) banners -- which referred to him as a 'sanghi' and demanded that he go back -- to be photographed.

One such SFI banner read -- 'Sanghi Chancellor vapas jao'.

Thereafter, the Governor was seen talking over the phone to his secretary at the Raj Bhavan and asking him to send a "notice" to the VC asking whether the police were informed about these banners.

Khan also instructed the secretary that the VC be asked to explain how permission was given to put up these banners and whether any action had been taken against the same.

"How are these banners there? Have you taken any action? If the reply comes, action has to be taken against this tomorrow," he was heard saying over the phone.

Khan, who is presently in this north Kerala district to take part in various private and official functions at Calicut University, took note of the banners after returning to the guest house he was staying at on the varsity campus.

He had decided to stay at the guest house as a challenge to the SFI's earlier statement that he won't be allowed to enter any of the universities in his capacity as Chancellor.

The SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), has been staging widespread protests against the Governor alleging that he has been pushing the BJP-RSS nominees to the senate of various universities in Kerala using his authority as the Chancellor of the universities in the state.

The student outfit has been alleging that Khan's actions were part of the saffronisation agenda of the BJP.

Khan, a day ago, had reiterated that the SFI activists were "criminals" to whom he was not accountable to explain any of his decisions.

He had alleged that the protesting SFI students were "criminals hired by the chief minister".

Earlier this week, he had accused the CM of 'conspiring' to hurt him physically.

Khan had made the accusation after his vehicle was allegedly attacked by the SFI activists while he was on his way to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to leave for Delhi. PTI