Newly joined BJP member AP Abdullakutty spoke about the recent SFI stabbing incident in the Thiruvananthapuram University College. He said that when he used to study, SFI stood for “Students Federation of India”, but now it must be called “Stupid Federation of Idiots”.
Abdullakutty was speaking at a reception held by the BJP in Kozhikode. According to him, the SFI seeks to implement the “Kannur Model Party Villages”. Abdullakutty also said that the SFI must now be disbanded.
Abdullakutty is a former MP who has recently joined the BJP. He was expelled from the Congress for praising PM Modi.
SFI members arrested for stabbing Akhil
Eight people in total have been arrested by the Kerala police in connection with the stabbing incident on Friday morning. All of them are SFI members and are students of the University College. This included the two main accused NN Naseem and R Sivaranjith. The two were arrested at 2 am at a bus stop while they were heading towards a CPM leader’s house. Police have said that Sivaranjith has confessed that he had stabbed Akhil, the victim and student of the same college.
Manorama Online had reported the names of all the accused. Their photos have been shown below.
The police have said that they have evidence against Sivaranjith. Wounds inflicted by knife has been found in his hands. Other accused have also given statements that they saw bloodstains in Sivarenjith’s and Naseem’s hands.
As reported by TNM, arrested people have been booked under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (offence committed in furtherance of common objective), 224(b) (resistance towards apprehension, 223 (escape from confinement of custody), 241 (counterfeit money), 506(2) (criminal intimidation) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Allegations of exam malpractice
The police had raided the houses of Sivaranjith. Asianet reporters were prevented from entering his house while the raid was going on by the family members of Sivaranjith.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtZ8f60LJtk?start=25]
During the raid, police have recovered four bundles of unused answer sheets of the University of Kerala to which the college is affiliated to and a seal of the physical education director. Presumably, there are used to cheat in the examinations.
The police had also raided the University College SFI unit room. Answer sheets and seals were found in this room also.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOVj3BA5Jdo]
The University College has opened up investigations of exam malpractices. According to the Vice-Chancellor, it was a serious crime that answer sheets were found in the house of the accused. Six of the accused have already been suspended.
Special Branch is also investigating allegations that the SFI members were given special consideration for the Public Service Commission (PSC) exam for police recruitment. Allegedly the University College allocated itself as a PSC centre.
A former DGP has demanded the police rank list to be scrapped and for a re-examination to be held. This is because the accused were declared as rank holders. Sivarenjith holds the 1st rank while Naseem holds the 28th rank.
CPM’s response
CPM secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that his party would not support the eight SFI member accused of stabbing Akhil. “What has happened is most unfortunate and the party will not do anything to support any of the wrong doers. Whosoever is involved, will have to face punishment for their wrong acts”, he said. He had also met Akhil at the hospital.
SFI national president VP Sanu has issued an apology. “I hang my head in shame. Apologies to the people of Kerala,” the post of VP Sanu in a Facebook post.
The Student Federation of India (SFI) is the student body of the ruling CPM party. The SFI members had stabbed Akhil over a dispute about singing in the canteen. Akhil is in a stable condition and has submitted his statement to the police. Students of all political affiliations have come out in protest against the SFI. The college unit has been subsequently disbanded.
That accused have been absconding ever since the incident happened on Friday. Earlier a former student of the University had come out and revealed the ordeal she had faced at the hands of SFI students.
