india

Updated: Oct 08, 2015 13:25 IST

Noted TV personality Rahul Eswar was manhandled by a group of students on Thursday and his car was damaged when he was attending a function in MSM college in Kayamkulam, Alapuzha district of Kerala.

Police have booked at least 15 students for manhandling him.

A strong votary of ban on cow slaughter, Eswar, also the grandson of Sabarimala supreme priest, has been participating in many TV channel discussions, including national media, justifying the decision to ban cow slaughter in the country.

“This is cultural fascism. In a democratic country like ours every individual has a right to air his/her views. Hope people who react and sign lengthy joint communiqué will react on this,” he said.

Many colleges in the state have been witnessing violent clashes over beef festivals conducted by a section of students, mainly left student outfits.

Two days back, Kerala Verma College in Thrissur had suspended six students for conducting a beef fest on the campus. A female teacher at the same college, Deepa Nisanth, is facing inquiry for criticising action against students, an action condemned by Congress MP KC Venugopal.

“The management must immediately drop proceedings initiated against the teacher. She has every right to express her independent opinion on issues affecting lives of people as long as India is a democratic nation,” said Venugopal.

The Alappuzha MP also asked the management of Cochin Devaswom Board, an autonomous organisation headed by Congress leader Bhaskaran Nair, “not to succumb to the pressure tactics of Sangh Parivar” at a time when they are trying to “control” educational institutions through their “divisive political ideology”.

Similarly, students of CMS college in Kottayam also conducted a beef fest to protest against lynching of a 50-year-old man in Bisada village of Uttar Pradesh. The students, reportedly from the Students Federation of India -- CPI(M)’s student wing -- are now facing disciplinary action that can also amount to suspension.

(With inputs from PTI)

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