Kerala Governor Confronted by SFI Protests: Emergency Book Event and University Disputes

Students’ Federation of India (SFI) members protested against Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the launch of a book titled ’50 years of Emergency’ held at Kerala University in Thiruvananthapuram. The police detained the protesters as they disrupted the event, shouting slogans. This protest followed a similar demonstration last week, where SFI criticized the Governor for what they deemed anti-student actions. Concerns were raised over the installation of images of Bharat Mata and RSS ideologues in the Kerala Raj Bhawan. Separately, SFI activists protested at Kannur University, in opposition to a university directive mandating the scrutiny of event content for ‘anti-national elements,’ with the activists burning copies of the directive. These actions by the SFI highlight worries about academic freedom and the scope for free speech.