KSU announces education bandh in Kerala on Thursday

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Students' Union (KSU), the student outfit of the Congress, has called an education bandh across Kerala on Thursday to protest the Delhi Police's action against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders during a demonstration in the national capital. Announcing the protest, KSU state president Aloshious Xavier urged students across Kerala to boycott classes in solidarity with students across the country. The organisation also called for effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be burnt on campuses and said protest marches would be held at district headquarters. It is not immediately clear whether the bandh will affect the functioning of schools and colleges across the state. No official details on the extent of the disruption were available at the time of writing.

Protest follows Delhi police action

The bandh comes after Congress workers staged protests in several states on Wednesday, condemning the police action during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' protest in New Delhi and the detention of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders.

On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several opposition leaders were detained during a protest near Lok Kalyan Marg. The Congress was demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET question paper leak.

Opposition parties alleged that protesters were lathi-charged and subjected to tear gas during the demonstration. They also accused the Centre of attempting to suppress democratic protests through the detention of opposition leaders.

KSU steps up agitation in Kerala

The KSU has linked the Kerala education bandh to the police action in Delhi. According to the organisation, Rahul Gandhi was allegedly manhandled by the police and sustained facial injuries while being taken into custody.

The student outfit had already intensified its protests in Kerala. On Tuesday, the KSU's Kannur district committee staged a rail blockade at Kannur railway station, protesting against the police action against senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, as well as the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.

KSU activists blocked a train and raised slogans against the Union government before police arrested and removed the protesters.