Senior leaders of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) will now step in to thaw the relations between the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students Federation (AISF) that had strained in the wake of a recent spurt in violent incidents on campuses and open a dialogue to end the impasse that had gripped the front of late.
State leaders of both students’ organisations would break the ice in the presence of CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran here on Friday afternoon to set the ground for fortifying Left unity on campuses too. The dialogue, that would be carried forward by the district and local leaders, was expected to clear the differences of opinion between the two organisations that are integral to the LDF, sources said.
The recent bout of violent incidents at University College here had triggered a row and the SFI was accused of denying functional freedom for other student organisations, including the AISF, in University College as well as other campuses. The issue had gained the potential of rupturing the CPI-CPI(M) relations, but senior leaders of both parties resolved to iron out the differences without giving room for further escalation of tension.
The CPI(M) leadership had also initiated a correction process and cautioned the SFI leadership against activists of extremist organisations infiltrating into its ranks and fomenting trouble on campuses camouflaging as its cadre.
To complement such efforts, the government is likely to expedite action on the report of Ernakulam District Collector S. Suhas on the police action against CPI workers. The government is likely to take action against the officials responsible for the police action and the CPI(M) leadership would assuage the concerns of the CPI leadership. The CPI State executive that was scheduled to meet here on Friday morning would clear the air in this regard, sources said.
In spite of the pungent remarks passed by a section of CPI leaders, both Mr. Rajendran and Mr. Balakrishnan had taken care to ensure that the differences of opinion between the student organisations were not rocking the front and functioning of the government, and proposed rounds of discussions to contain the discord, sources said.
