Prakash Javadekar likens SFI to PFI; SFI to take legal action

Thiruvananthapuram: Criticising the SFI, which is under attack for its members' alleged role in the death of a veterinary student in Kerala, senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Sunday likened the student outfit of the CPI(M) to the Popular Front of India (PFI), a banned Islamist organisation.

In a hard-hitting post on social media platform X, Javadekar accused the SFI of engaging in a range of criminal activities and even murder.

The BJP Kerala-in charge alleged that SFI has targeted media channels and disrupted the convoy of Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, going as far as protesting during official functions.

These allegations draw parallels between SFI's actions and those attributed to PFI, the BJP leader said.

"SFI is PFI of CPM", he said on X, blaming the Left student organisation for alleged criminal activities.

"It attacks media channels. Not only this, but they stop the convoy of Governor & protest in his function. What else we can describe? These tendencies are exactly like that of PFI a banned organisation," Javadekar said in his post.

Strongly reacting to the BJP leader's post, SFI said it will take legal action over the baseless allegations.

"The BJP leaders are equating the SFI with terror organisations. They should take responsibility and bring out evidence, if any, on the baseless allegations they are raising. They are trying to tarnish the image of SFI, and we will deal with such matters legally," SFI state President K Anusree told PTI.

Javadekar's remarks came close on the heels of a statement by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan alleging that SFI and the banned organisation PFI were working together.

Anusree attacked the governor, who had claimed that the SFI workers who showed him black flags were PFI workers.

"There is video evidence of news channels and many other related videos available on social media. He should point out to whom he is referring. The governor, the BJP leaders, and the media are attacking SFI because they feel threatened by the good work we are doing for the student community," Anusree said.

In connection with the veterinary college issue, she said everyone was targeting SFI for political reasons.

"In this case, we immediately ousted those associated with the SFI who were accused in the matter. Let the police take the necessary action. However, there are other students associated with other political parties. But in this case, only the SFI is targeted," she said.

The student leader said SFI is an organisation that takes a stern stand against ragging on all campuses across the state.

"We undertook the campaign against drugs. Now the campuses are drug-free and ragging-free because of the SFI. And this is evident from the fact that we are being elected to power in almost all colleges across the state," she added.

Sidharthan, who was a second-year Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry student in Wayanad district, was found hanging in the bathroom of his hostel on February 18.

His parents have claimed that some of his collegemates told them that he was beaten to death by some local SFI leaders and activists.

The father contended that according to the postmortem report, his son's body had three days' worth of injuries and an empty stomach, which indicated that he was brutally beaten up and not given any food.

Following the parents' claims, the Congress and the BJP accused the ruling CPI(M)'s student wing of beating Sidharthan to death.

Police have arrested all 18 accused and they have been remanded in judicial custody.