Kerala Raj Bhavan has sought an explanation from Kerala University regarding a banner put up by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the Students’ wing of the CPI-M, over the gate of Government Sanskrit College, Thiruvananthapuram, abusing Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.
When the banner, reading, ‘Governorute thanthede vakayella Rajbhavan’ (‘The Raj Bhavan isn’t the property of the Governor’s father’) in Malayalam was noticed over the college gate, the University vice-chancellor directed the registrar to seek an explanation from the college principal. Subsequently, the SFI activists removed the banner.
Even though SFI removed the banner, the Raj Bhavan decided to seek an explanation on the matter from the University authorities and the principal of the college.
The banner appeared at the gate on the same day a Vidyutsadas was held at the Sanskrit College. Higher Education Minister R Bindu passed through this gate to inaugurate the programme. Then, while the minister was participating in the programme, the banner was removed.
The Sanskrit College expressed regret over the incident of SFI putting up a banner insulting Governor Arif Muhammad Khan. The college principal has written to the Kerala University registrar stating that the banner has been removed.The principal also assured the university that in future such incidents would not be repeated.
The Raj Bhavan has seen the issue as cultural devaluation of students.