Former diplomat Sreenivasan roughed up by SFI activists

Thiruvananthapuram: SFI activists heckled and roughed up former ambassador TP Sreenivasan, the executive vice-chairman of Kerala State Higher Education Council, near the venue of the Global Education Meet in Kovalam on Friday.

Sreenivasan, who was punched and slapped, fell down at the entrance of Leela Palace Hotel, the venue of GEM, as he walked back following objections by SFI activists, who have unleashed a campaign against “plans to barter away the State’s higher education sector to foreign private players”. 

Sreenivasan blamed the police for remaining mere onlookers and complained to high-ups against the suspicious police behaviour on the occasion of a high-profile international meet.  

The Kovalam police has registered a case though no arrests have been made as yet.

The police has identified the attackers, especially SFI district joint secretary Sarat, who slapped Mr Sreenivasan. Sarat is also an accused in a case related to throwing bomb on Malayankeezh SI Riyas Raja.

SFI activists have been camping in front of the hotel since Thursday evening and there has been a major mobilization of pro-Left organizations since the morning.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who was scheduled to inaugurate GEM, and Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb stayed away from the meet on police advice. In their absence the meet was inaugurated by William G. Tierney, Professor from University of Southern California.

Sreenivasan told Deccan Chronicle that the assault was deliberate and there was no question of any mistaken identity as assailants now sought to argue. 

“Attackers had identified me in advance. I spoke to Mr Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. Fortunately, a friend who lived nearby offered him a place to rest. Doctors, who examined me, said there were no major injuries. However, the blood pressure has gone up”, Mr Sreenivasan said.

He confirmed there were lapses on the part of the police, who remained mute witnesses to the entire incident.

SFI national president V P Sanu, who termed the attack unfortunate, said action would be taken against activists if found guilty. CPM district secretary Kadakampally Surendran expressed regret but said Mr Sreeinvasan should not have walked into agitating students. But he suspected the police had deliberately created a situation by letting him go unescorted to the agitators.