Thiruvananthapuram: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has called for a statewide education bandh on Monday in protest against the alleged attack on its Kerala state secretary. The bandh also comes in the backdrop of what the ABVP terms as continued police excesses against its protests across the state.

In a statement, the student organisation said the agitation would continue until the state government signs on to the 'PM SHRI' (PM Schools for Rising India) scheme, which aims to enhance the quality of school education and expand student benefits.

According to the ABVP, their state-wide protests demanding Kerala’s inclusion in the Central Government’s PM SHRI scheme have been met with violent suppression by CPM-backed goons allegedly acting at the behest of General Education Minister V Sivankutty. The outfit cited Saturday night's incident in Thampanoor, where, according to them, around 50 political goons brutally assaulted the ABVP state secretary in the presence of the police.

The ABVP accused the Kerala Police of shielding the assailants instead of taking legal action against them. The organisation further stated that the bandh was being called not just in protest against the assault, but also against the broader pattern of police violence targeting ABVP-led agitations.

Reiterating their demand, the ABVP said the protest would continue until the state government signs on to the PM SHRI scheme, which is designed to improve educational standards and provide additional facilities to school students.