Zero tolerance against violence on campuses, says Roji M. John as SFI activists stage ‘banner protest’ at Kalady

Keralam Minister for Higher Education Roji M. John.

Minister for Higher Education Roji M. John said here on Thursday (November 5, 2026) that the United Democratic Front (UDF) government would ensure a zero tolerance policy against violence on campuses.

“The government has no intolerance towards agitations on campuses. But it has zero tolerance against violence on campuses. Violence of any sort will not be permitted at any cost,” he told the media after inaugurating the college union at Adi Sankara Training College at Kalady near here.

Activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) staged a ‘banner protest’ stating that they would not tender any apology as the Minister entered the campus. They were responding to the decision of the Sree Sankaracharya University Syndicate to permit conditional withdrawal of the suspension of 12 out of the 16 SFI activists in connection with the incidents on the campus on August 13, 2026.

The Minister said the suspended SFI activists had not yet submitted an application requesting that they would like to write the exams. “They [SFI activists] did not comply with the procedures prescribed by the university and approached the court directly. We want them to write their exams and continue their studies. But it cannot happen by unleashing violence on campuses,” he added.

Published - November 05, 2026 09:43 pm IST