Expressing its concern over the murder of SFI leader Abhimanyu, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday observed that the State government had failed to adhere to its commitments made earlier to the courts on reining in politics and violence on college campuses and that this might be the reason why the ‘unfortunate' incident had taken place at the Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.
The Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar observed that it could not afford to lose any more life in the name of campus politics. It was very sad that the incident happened in a government college.
The court made the observations when a public interest writ petition filed by Ajoy L.S of Chengannur seeking to prohibit political activities on schools and college campuses came up for hearing.
Oral observation
The Bench orally observed that there was no bar on anybody holding their own ideology. It was acceptable. However, political parties were infusing the campus with politics. Now life of a student had been snuffed out in the name of campus politics. It was very sad that the murder took place in a government college where students from poor families were pursuing their studies. The court said that the government should take steps to prevent such political activities.
When Additional Advocate General K.K. Ravindranath termed the Maharaja’s College case as a 'stray incident', the court said that it could not be dismissed as a stray incident.
The court pointed out that in its earlier verdicts, it had directed the State government not to allow political activities on the campus and dharnas, gheraos and demonstration on college premises. Besides, a Division Bench had earlier also directed the government to lay down appropriate rules and regulations in this regard. Unfortunately, no such rules and regulations had been framed by the State, as was observed by the Division Bench on several occasions,, the court observed.
The court asked the state government to inform it about the steps taken to implement it's earlier High Court directives on the campus politics.
