A Youth Congress ‘Resistance March’ demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar turned violent near the University College men’s hostel in Thiruvananthapuram on September 30. The march, led by Youth Congress leaders including Minister O J Janeesh and MP Shafi Parambil, reportedly came under stone and bottle pelting from the hostel, which Youth Congress alleged involved SFI workers.
SFI disputed this account, alleging that Youth Congress and KSU workers provoked the confrontation by throwing stones and burning objects towards the hostel. Police used tear gas and resorted to a lathi charge inside the hostel as the confrontation continued for several hours.
Several students, activists and police personnel were reportedly injured. ADGP P Vijayan reached the spot and said strong action would be taken against those involved. The SFI has announced a class boycott in protest against the police action.
March Turns Violent
The confrontation began after the Youth Congress march, which was headed towards the Accountant General’s office as part of a wider campaign seeking Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. When the procession reached the University College area in Palayam, tension reportedly broke out around the men’s hostel. Youth Congress workers alleged that stones and beer bottles were thrown at them from the hostel premises. They said the objects damaged vehicles and triggered the confrontation.
The protesters subsequently retaliated, with reports stating that burning torches or flaming objects were thrown towards the hostel. The situation then escalated into stone-pelting between the two groups. According to police, students inside the hostel were raising slogans after the power supply was disrupted as the march passed the area, following which an altercation broke out and objects were thrown from both sides. An SFI activist and a police officer were reportedly injured.
Youth Congress leaders maintained that the march was not directed at the SFI or the ruling Left. O J Janeesh questioned why SFI activists had intervened in a protest against the Election Commission. Shafi Parambil similarly said the demonstration was not intended to target the CPM or SFI. The SFI and CPM, however, rejected this version, alleging that Youth Congress and KSU workers were responsible for provoking the violence.
Police Enter Hostel
As the confrontation continued, the violence spread towards the University College campus and surrounding roads. Reports said some Youth Congress and KSU workers entered the college premises, while flex boards were damaged during the unrest. Police deployed tear gas several times and attempted to disperse the groups. When tensions persisted, personnel entered the men’s hostel and carried out a lathi charge.
The police action itself became a fresh point of contention. SFI state secretary P S Sanjeev alleged that Youth Congress workers had provoked the students and accused the police of using excessive force inside the hostel. The CPM also demanded action against officers involved in the lathi charge. Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan visited the hostel and criticised the police intervention, alleging that the attack on students was planned. These claims have not been independently established.
ADGP P Vijayan, who is responsible for law and order, reached the area as the situation remained tense and said strong action would be taken against those involved in the violence. A heavy police presence was subsequently maintained around the University College and hostel. The SFI announced a boycott of classes on October 1 to protest the police action, while KSU leaders demanded action against those allegedly involved in the initial violence.
Protest Becomes Political Clash
The incident has shifted attention from the Youth Congress’ original demand to the confrontation between Congress-linked student and youth organisations and the Left-backed SFI. The protest itself was part of a broader campaign against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, with Youth Congress seeking his resignation over its concerns regarding the functioning of the Election Commission.
The competing accounts mean that the precise sequence of who initiated the violence remains disputed. Youth Congress says the confrontation began with stones and bottles being thrown from the hostel, while SFI says its members were responding to objects thrown into the hostel premises. Police accounts indicate that both sides eventually exchanged stones and other objects. The reported injuries, property damage and police action have since become the focus of competing political allegations.
The clash has also drawn criticism from outside the two groups. BJP leader V Muraleedharan criticised the confrontation and questioned the political purpose of the violence, while Congress leaders have questioned the SFI’s intervention in a demonstration that was ostensibly aimed at the Election Commission. With the SFI announcing further protest action, tensions around the campus and in the city remain a concern.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Political disagreement and the right to protest are essential parts of a democratic society, but violence can quickly overshadow the very issues that people gather to raise. A protest demanding accountability from a constitutional institution should be able to take place without students, activists, police personnel or bystanders being put at risk. At the same time, allegations from either side should be investigated fairly, with responsibility established through evidence rather than political claims.
Campuses should remain spaces where opposing ideas can be debated without fear, intimidation or physical confrontation. When political disagreements reach the point of stones, fire and injuries, what can political organisations and student groups do to ensure that democratic protest remains peaceful and constructive?
Also Read: Delhi-NCR’s No PUC, No Fuel Rule Starts October 1: What Vehicle Owners Need To Know
