Thiruvananthapuram, 27 October(HS): The capital city stood silent witness on Monday to an aggressive demonstration organized by the Muslim Students Federation against the Kerala Government’s decision to implement the PM-SHRI scheme in the State.

Hundreds of activists from the MSF, the student wing of the Muslim League, staged a demonstration through the streets of Thiruvananthapuram, bringing traffic to a standstill. They were shouting slogans against the BJP, the RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ushering in the PM-SHRI scheme, which according to the MSF leaders, was a move to saffronize the education system in the State.

Despite the presence of a strong police force including the riot police, the demonstrators attacked the barricades in front of the secretariat. Many MSF activists, claiming to be students, tried to jump over the police barricades even as the police stood silently watching the proceedings.

The same police had lathi-charged and used tear gas shells against the ABVP and BJP youth wing when they undertook rallies against the government-sponsored theft at Sabarimala Iyyappa Temple.

The PM-SHREE scheme has antagonized the CPI, a constituent of CPI(M)-led LDF. Its national secretary, D. Raja, had given up his Sunday lunch, which included his favourite caviar and pork fried rice, to call on CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby to convince him about the “dangers” of the PM-SHRI scheme and the NEP.

It is reported that Baby, who is seen as the Prime Ministerial candidate if the CPI(M) bags a majority in the next Lok Sabha polls, did not utter a word in reply to the grievances raised by Raja. This made the CPI National Secretary cry uncontrollably and he came out of Baby’s five-star room with tears in his eyes.

The CPI(M) and the Police maintain double standard while dealing with the issues created by the Muslims in the State. For the CPI(M), the Islamic outfits are a vote bank and they would not hurt them in any way. Binoy Viswam, the Kerala boss of the CPI, is meeting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan this evening and it is said that the former is likely to serve an ultimatum to stay away from the PM Shri scheme.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti