The Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s (CPI-(M)) student wing, the Students' Federation of India (SFI), erected "unwelcoming" banners against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at Ponnani in the Malappuram district of north Kerala today, Wednesday, January 10.
The Governor is scheduled to attend a commemorative programme organised by the Congress party, PTI reports.
The banners placed by SFI say the following – 'Mister Chancellor you are not welcome here' and 'Mister chancellor this is a place where there are a lot of people whom you called bloody criminals, be careful'.
These banners were placed at various places in Ponnani hours before Khan's arrival to participate in a programme to commemorate late Congress leader PT Mohana Krishnan.
And on January 9
On Tuesday, January 9, Khan was confronted by a large-scale demonstration from several youth organisations connected to the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is led by the CPI (M), when he proceeded to Thodupuzha in Idukki district to take part in an event hosted by the traders' organisation Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti.
The LDF launched the hartal in the Idukki district in retaliation for his refusal to approve the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Khan underlined during the traders' body event that he is a public servant and not a "rubber stamp".
In the initial hours of the dawn-to-dusk hartal, many shops remained closed and the number of vehicles on the roads was comparatively few in the high-range district.
"Sanghi Governor not welcome here” – declared the banners put up by SFI before the governor’s visit
Considering the decades-long demand of the people of Idukki district, the Kerala government passed the bill in the Legislative Assembly on September 14, 2023.
