The Congress affiliated Kerala Students' Union has called an ‘Education bandh’ in Kerala on Thursday to protest against the police attack on its workers on Wednesday. Tension prevailed for hours in front of the Secretariat on Wednesday after the KSU workers clashed with the police. The KSU activists were staging a protest march against the government move to implement the Khader Committee report. The situation went out of control when the KSU workers tried to break the police barricade near the Secretariat gate. Police used water cannons, tear gas and batons to disperse the protestors. They, in turn, pelted stones at the police.
About twenty, including KSU state president K M Abhijith, state office-bearers Jasheer Pallivel, Sreelal and Arun Rajendran, were injured. Two policemen, Ratheesh attached to the AR camp and Jayesh attached to the KAP, were hospitalised. Meanwhile, Congress leaders protested against the Medical College Hospital authorities for not admitting the KSU workers who were referred to the MCH from the General Hospital. The hospital refused to admit the injured protestors who had come there around 4 pm.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala arrived at the hospital at 8 pm and on his intervention the workers were admitted. MLAs Shafi Parambil and K S Sabarinathan were also present. Earlier, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran inaugurated the march. He said the government was trying to impose the committee report without necessary consultation. “The report will destroy the education sector and divide teachers,” he said.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has called for strict action against policemen who attacked KSU workers. “The police resorted to brutal lathicharge on KSU workers who were carrying out peaceful protests. Students, including women, were rounded up and beaten. Strict action should be taken against the police officers,” he said. The Cantonment Police have registered a case against 23 KSU workers in connection with the incident. Five of them were produced before the court and remanded.
