Pinarayi Vijayan Visits Students on Hunger Strike at Kalady Sanskrit University

Kochi: Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan visited students protesting at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady, extending his support and encouragement to their agitation. He greeted the students who have been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past 13 days under the leadership of the SFI at the university entrance and enquired about their health.

The protest against the anti-student policies of interim Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas, described by the protesters as an RSS nominee, and the state government supporting her, has been continuing for 109 days. CPI(M) Central Committee member P Rajeev, Ernakulam district secretary S Satheesh and SFI state secretary P S Sanjeev were also present with Pinarayi.

Students PM Ashwanth, KV Abhijith and PS Archana are continuing their hunger strike in front of the university, raising demands related to basic infrastructure and calling for an end to what they describe as victimisation by university authorities.

Despite being aware that the students' health condition has begun to deteriorate, neither the Vice-Chancellor nor the Higher Education Minister has intervened, the protesters said.

On Wednesday, the Kerala High Court strongly criticised the university. The court asked the authorities whether keeping students out of the university for more than 60 days was not enough and what more they expected the students to apologise for.