Kerala CM, LoP engage in verbal duel over SFI in Assembly

Thiruvananthapuram: The Assembly on Thursday witnessed angry exchanges between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition (LoP) V.D. Satheesan on the conduct of the SFI, the CPI(M)'s student wing.

Joining the issue from outside the Assembly was state CPI Secretary Binoy Viswan who breathed fire on the present conduct of the Students' Federation of India (SFI).

In the past week, there have been multiple incidents involving the SFI activists -- an attack on the student wing of the Congress -- KSU activists -- in the state capital city, and in Kozhikode, a principal and a staff member of a college faced the wrath.

These incidents were taken up in the Assembly by Congress legislator M. Vincent who was attacked by the SFI activists early this week when he had gone to a police station here to meet detained KSU activists.

Vincent slammed CM Vijayan and the CPI(M) for patronising the SFI activists even as they engaged in criminal activities.

Defending the SFI activists, CM Vijayan said that it has now become a habit for the opposition and the media to tarnish the image of the SFI by propagating falsehoods.

“Of late, the SFI is being targeted and is being attacked with vested motives and interests and this is not right,” said CM Vijayan.

But Satheesan said people like CM Vijayan, his party leaders and the government were giving all the support and motivation to the SFI by defending their criminal acts.

“With this reply of yours, it’s now clear that you people will never learn or understand the backlash that you have suffered on account of this,” said Satheesan. The opposition was pointing out that the poll debacle the Left led by the CPI(M) suffered in the Lok Sabha election.

With CM Vijayan rising from his seat followed by Satheesan and all the MLAs, the Assembly witnessed a tense situation. While pointing towards CM Vijayan Satheesan said, “You are no Maharaja, you are only the chief minister.”

To this CM Vijayan replied, “I am not a Maharaja, I am only a servant of the people”.

This was followed by sloganeering and the Speaker rushed through the listed business of the day and adjourned the House for the day.

Coming in for more attacks, SFI was slammed by Viswan, who heads the CPI in the state, the second biggest ally of the ruling Left.

“It’s high time the style and approach of the present-day SFI change. What they are doing now does not match with the style of the Left. The present-day SFI has to change and if they fail to do so, then SFI will become a liability to the Left,” said Viswan, while speaking to the media outside.