Another leader in the Students' Federation of India (SFI) in Kerala, accused of forging certificates for admission in a government college went missing. This is two weeks after a former SFI leader, who was caught while producing a forged experience certificate for a guest lecturer's job in a state-run college, is nowhere to be found.
Sources told IANS that this person, who is the second top leader in SFI, was found guilty of securing admission for MCom without actually clearing BCom.
With this incident, the Congress-led UDF and the BJP leaders have enough ammunition to criticise the CPI(M) leadership – they are tearing into the CPI(M) for "supporting" the crimes of its student leaders.
K Vidya, the absconding top former SFI activist agreed to cooperate with the investigation after noting that her anticipatory bail hearing before the Kerala High Court on Tuesday was scheduled for next week along with another similar plea to be heard by a Kasargod court on Saturday. She also urged the court to consider her plea favourably, since she is unmarried.
The second absconding SFI member
Similarly, Nikhil Thomas, the second SFI leader, has gone missing since Tuesday evening, June 20, soon after the police registered a case against him for using a forged BCom degree from Kalinga University, Raipur to get admission to MCom.
Especially after the second case surfaced, the CPI(M)’s top brass, including State Secretary MV Govindan was seen evading questions regarding this incident from the press.
To add salt to the CPI(M)’s wounds from these incidents, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is also the Chancellor of all state-run universities, stated that simply becoming a member of a particular student's organisation doesn't provide a license to do anything, alluding to these cases. He has promised to look into all the recent developments.
V Muraleedharan, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, stated that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should break his silence over the issues. He also said that unfortunately, media organisations covering these incidents are being targeted.
Kerala University Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohan Kunnummal said that he will take very strong action against all those who try to tarnish the name and fame of the university, on Wednesday, June 21.
Meanwhile, Janayugom, the party organ of the CPI, which is the second biggest ally of the Vijayan government, condemned the unfolding of "misdeeds" in the higher education sector and wanted things to be in control without fail.
This incident has hampered the credibility of CPI(M) in Kerala, says IANS. Moreover, the CPI(M) reportedly is considering a makeover of the present SFI leadership, following these revelations.
