SFI workers march against ''saffronisation'' of Kerala universities
Raising slogans against Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who also serves as the Chancellor of the universities, protestors broke through police barricades outside Kannur University.
Police responded with water cannons, but SFI members managed to reach the Vice-Chancellor's office, where they staged a sit-in protest.
Tensions also rose at Calicut University in Thenjippalam, Malappuram district, where a brief scuffle broke out between police and student protestors during the march.
The SFI organised similar marches at Kerala University. Charged-up SFI workers broke open the gates of the Kerala University headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram and rushed into the office complex, as police failed to control the agitating students.
They stood inside the university building, raising slogans against the Governor and Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal.
The protests called for the resignation of the Vice-Chancellors of Calicut and Kerala universities, accusing them of aligning too closely with the ideology of the Sangh Parivar.
Police remained on high alert at all locations to prevent any escalation of the protests.
Universities in Kerala have recently witnessed a power struggle between the Raj Bhavan and the Left-led state government.
Tensions escalated after some Vice-Chancellors, appointed temporarily by the Chancellor, took actions that student and teacher unions affiliated with the Left allege are supportive of the Sangh Parivar.
Kerala University has seen dramatic scenes since the beginning of this month, following the suspension of the Registrar by Vice-Chancellor Kunnummal.
The action was taken after the Registrar issued a notice cancelling a private programme attended by Governor Arlekar at the Senate Hall, where a portrait of Bharat Mata holding a saffron flag was displayed.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
US Supreme Court approves nearly 1,400 layoffs from the Education Department under Trump's federal downsizing push
US Supreme Court approves nearly 1,400 layoffs in the Education Department. In a ruling that could permanently alter the landscape of American public education, the US Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to proceed with mass layoffs at the Department of Education, a key step in President Trump's broader plan to decentralise federal control and shift responsibility for education back to the states. The court's unsigned emergency order effectively lifts a lower court's block on the administration's move to terminate more than 1,300 federal employees. Critics say this will gut the department's core functions, including oversight of civil rights protections in schools, financial aid distribution, and special education services. The Education Department began 2025 with over 4,000 employees. Post-layoffs, the workforce is expected to shrink by nearly half, after including probationary dismissals and voluntary resignations. Particularly affected is the Office for Civil Rights, where seven out of twelve regional offices have already been shut down. Judiciary expands presidential power The Supreme Court's decision marks another major expansion of executive power, signalling judicial backing for Trump's efforts to reconfigure, or even dismantle, a department created by Congress nearly 50 years ago. The ruling did not include a vote breakdown, but liberal justices dissented strongly. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing on behalf of Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, warned that the court was enabling an unconstitutional overreach. She argued that only Congress has the power to eliminate a cabinet-level department, and that the administration's unilateral action would inflict "untold harm" on students, particularly those affected by discrimination, disability, or lack of educational access. From the executive order to legal showdown President Trump had signed an executive order in March directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of shutting down the department. He cited low student test scores and bureaucratic inefficiency as justification for transferring federal education functions back to the states. Almost immediately, legal challenges erupted. School districts, education unions, and 21 Democratic-led states filed lawsuits in federal court, arguing that dismantling the department without congressional approval violated the Constitution and federal statutes. Judge Myong Joun of the US District Court in Massachusetts had sided with the plaintiffs in May, ordering the administration to halt layoffs and reinstate fired workers. His ruling was later upheld by the First Circuit Court of Appeals. But the Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court, which has now reversed course, allowing the layoffs to resume while the underlying legal battle continues. Reactions split along political lines Trump and his allies celebrated the ruling as a victory for local control and executive leadership. The White House reiterated that the president has full constitutional authority to reorganise federal agencies, and said the cuts were necessary to streamline operations and reduce federal overreach. Education Secretary McMahon stated that the department will proceed with a reduction in force to promote efficiency and accountability, while continuing to carry out statutory duties with a scaled-back staff. Democratic lawmakers and education advocates condemned the decision. Senator Chuck Schumer said the move amounts to sabotage of public education, adding that it's American kids paying the price. Sheria Smith, president of the union representing Education Department workers, warned that the firings would disrupt critical programs and services that millions of families rely on. What comes next While the court's decision allows the layoffs to proceed immediately, the underlying lawsuits are far from over. Courts are still examining whether the Trump administration's move to essentially dismantle the department violates congressional authority and statutory mandates. Meanwhile, the impact is already rippling through the education system. Several states have reported delays in federal funding for after-school programs, summer learning, and civil rights compliance. With fewer federal employees in place to monitor and enforce these mandates, education equity advocates fear that marginalised students will suffer the most. The future of the Education Department, and the federal role in American schooling, now hangs in a precarious legal and political balance. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Israeli strikes kill 31 in Gaza as UN agencies warn of fuel crisis
Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight killed at least 31 people, according to local hospitals, as UN agencies warned that critical fuel shortages put hospitals and other critical infrastructure at risk. The latest attacks came after US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held two days of talks last week that ended with no sign of a breakthrough in negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage release. Twelve people were killed by strikes in southern Gaza, including three who were waiting at an aid distribution point on Monday, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which received the bodies. Shifa Hospital in Gaza City also received 12 bodies, including three children and two women, after a series of strikes in the north, according to the hospital's director, Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia. Al-Awda Hospital reported seven killed and 11 wounded in strikes in central Gaza. The Israeli military says it only targets militants and tries to avoid harming civilians. It blames civilian deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in densely populated areas. Separately, three Israeli soldiers were killed in northern Gaza, according to the military. A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said on Monday that they died in an explosion in their tank, apparently after it was hit by an anti-tank missile, though the incident was still being examined. UN agencies, including those providing food and health care, reiterated a warning made at the weekend that without adequate fuel, they "will likely be forced to stop their operations entirely". In a joint statement, they said that hospitals are already going dark and ambulances can no longer move. Without fuel, transport, water production, sanitation and telecommunications will shut down and bakeries and community kitchens cannot operate, they said. The agencies confirmed that some 1,50,000 litres of fuel entered Gaza last week the first delivery in 130 days. But they said it is "a small fraction of what is needed each day to keep daily life and critical aid operations running". "The United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners cannot overstate the urgency of this moment: fuel must be allowed into Gaza in sufficient quantities and consistently to sustain life-saving operations," they said. The agencies signing the statement were the UN humanitarian office OCHA, food agency WFP, health organisation WHO, children's agency UNICEF, the agency helping Palestinian refugees UNRWA, population agency UNFPA, development agency UNDP, and UNOPS which oversees procurement and provides management services. Israel's military said a June 19 strike killed Muhammad Nasr Ali Quneita, a senior Hamas militant who it said had taken part in the October 7, 2023, attack and held hostage Emily Damari, a dual Israeli-British citizen, in his home at the start of the war. There was no comment from Hamas and no independent confirmation. Thousands of Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. The militants are still holding 50 hostages, less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 58,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its tally. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and is led by medical professionals. The United Nations and other experts consider its figures to be the most reliable count of war casualties. Israel's air and ground war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and driven some 90 per cent of the population from their homes. Aid groups say they have struggled to bring in food and other assistance because of Israeli military restrictions and the breakdown of law and order, and experts have warned of famine. Israel's Knesset meanwhile voted to expel a prominent Arab lawmaker, but the measure failed to pass the threshold of 90 votes in the 120-member assembly. Seventy-three members voted in favour. The attempt to remove Ayman Odeh from parliament was related to a social media post in January in which he welcomed the release of both Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners in a Gaza ceasefire. The prisoners released in the agreement included scores of militants convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis, and rival lawmakers accused Odeh of supporting terror, allegations he denied. Many Palestinians view those imprisoned by Israel as freedom fighters jailed for resisting Israel's decades-long occupation of lands the Palestinians seek for a future state. Israel's Arab minority, which makes up some 20 per cent of the population, has citizenship, including the right to vote, but faces widespread discrimination. Its members have close family ties to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, and largely support their cause, leading many Jewish Israelis to view them with suspicion or contempt.
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Living farmer declared dead in official records
Anantapur: In a shocking case of official negligence, a living farmer from Vannedoddi village in Gooty mandal, Anantapur district, has been wrongly declared dead in government records, making him ineligible for various welfare schemes. The incident has caused deep distress for the farmer and his family, who are now pleading for justice. Areti Naresh, son of Rangaiah and Devamma, received 3.73 acres of agricultural land from his father in 2023. He applied for schemes like Rythu Bharosa and PM Kisan, but his applications were repeatedly rejected. Assuming it was a routine error, he approached officials multiple times during the previous government's tenure, but no corrective action was taken. With renewed hope following the formation of the TDP-led coalition government, Naresh applied again for Annadata Sukhibhava and other schemes. However, the rejections continued. In desperation, he contacted the government's toll-free helpline 155251, only to be told that according to official records he was already deceased. Despite informing the agent that he was very much alive and speaking on the call, he was advised to approach local authorities, and the call was abruptly disconnected. Distraught, Naresh approached local officials, but his repeated petitions went unanswered. Eventually, he attempted to access benefits through the WhatsApp Governance portal launched by Minister Nara Lokesh, selecting 'Annadata Sukhibhava' services. Yet again, the system rejected his request, stating that he was recorded as deceased on the CRS (Civil Registration System) portal. This bureaucratic error has prevented Naresh and his family from availing essential schemes and welfare benefits. Turning to the media out of helplessness, the farmer demanded immediate rectification of records and restoration of his eligibility for government support. When contacted, Mandal Parishad Development Officer Prabhakar Naik admitted that the situation was deeply unfortunate. 'It is an unpardonable mistake. We will conduct a thorough inquiry, recommend suspension of the responsible staff, and initiate legal action against those at fault,' he assured. The incident has sparked outrage in the rural community, raising serious concerns about administrative oversight. Locals are now questioning the reliability of official systems, alleging that such errors reflect a dangerous level of negligence. Naresh has appealed to senior district officials to urgently correct the records, restore his identity as a living citizen, and ensure he becomes eligible once again for all welfare schemes meant for farmers.
