SFI national joint secretary Aishe Ghosh addressed the ‘She Fest’ programme at Kannur University’s Palayad campus on August 17 despite the Vice Chancellor denying permission for the event. Organised by the SFI-led Students Union, the programme was held at the university’s Seminar Hall, with Aishe Ghosh as the chief guest.
The Campus Director had communicated to the Students Union office bearers on August 16 that there was no permission for the programme. The communication also instructed SFI members to remove the publicity materials from the hall. However, SFI took the stand that deciding what programmes should be conducted on the campus was the prerogative of the Students Union and not the Vice Chancellor. They said the VC had no role in it whatsoever.
The Campus Director had specifically informed the Students Union that the Seminar Hall would not be given for the Aishe Ghosh programme and that such programmes required the prior permission of the VC or the Registrar. Immediately, the SFI-led University Students Union reacted that it would go ahead with the programme.
Aishe Ghosh had participated in Cockroach Janata Party’s agitation in Delhi in July 2026. She is also known for consistently supporting UAPA accused Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam over their imprisonment under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.
The Kannur campus incident is a specimen of how SFI functions in the universities in Keralam. SFI students and leaders always violate rules and express their arrogance wherever the law of the land stops them. Arrogance, defiance of the rules and violence against the rules are the characteristics of the CPM-controlled student organisation.
This is also reflected in the recent incident at Sree Sankaracharya Sanskrit University, Kaladi, near Kochi, where SFI members physically attacked the lady Vice Chancellor. They even organised a mock funeral for her before the university offices. Interestingly, the agitating students could not say why they were agitating when the VC asked them.
On several occasions, SFI cadres are known to have staged blockades on the routes of the Governors and the Vice Chancellors. They demand that student leaders from SFI groups have the right to pass without appearing for the examinations.
SFI students allegedly join Masters without passing the graduation. They study in Keralam and Kalinga University simultaneously as day scholars and get M.Com admission in the same college in Kerala with a fake BCom certificate.
PhD theses of some SFI leaders were controversial, thanks to the factual errors and mistakes. Plagiarism also has been alleged. They can forge teaching experience certificates and bag the jobs.
The pattern of SFI’s activities has also been seen in its protests against Governors. In one such instance, SFI staged an anti-Governor protest and put up a banner at the State Youth Fest venue, which sparked controversy.
SFI’s confrontational approach towards the Governor was also highlighted by former Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who alleged a nexus between SFI and the outlawed PFI. The allegation came amid repeated SFI protests against the Governor.
The latest incident at Kannur University, where the SFI-led Students Union went ahead with the Aishe Ghosh programme despite the Vice Chancellor’s denial of permission, adds to the pattern of defiance of university authorities and rules associated with the CPM-controlled student organisation.
