The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) received a severe blow to its credibility in Kerala, as two former leaders from the Student Federation of India (SFI) were found guilty in separate cases of fraud. The accused were caught producing forged certificates to obtain jobs and secure admissions. Two weeks ago, the first case surfaced when K.Vidya, a former SFI leader, was caught producing a fake experience certificate for a guest lecturer’s job at a state-run college. She is currently missing, while her anticipatory bail hearing has been postponed to next week. On Tuesday, Nikhil Thomas, another top SFI leader, went missing after the police registered a case against him for getting admission for M.Com based on a forged degree certificate from Kalinga University in Raipur. The CPI(M) is currently undergoing criticism from Congress-led UDF and BJP leaders who have accused the party of supporting the misdeeds of its student leaders.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, has appealed to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to break his silence over the issue. However, all attempts to question CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan about the matter were met with evasion, as he remained silent. The situation worsened as Kerala University Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohan Kunnummal expressed his strong disapproval against those who tarnish the university’s name and reputation.
The Governor of Kerala has pledged to investigate all recent developments, adding that being a member of a particular student’s organisation does not provide a license to do anything. Janayugom, the CPI party organ, has described the misdeeds in the higher education sector as deplorable and seeks to put an end to the issue.
Overall, the SFI’s credibility has taken a significant hit, and the CPI(M) is considering a reorganisation of the present SFI leadership. As the saga continues to unravel, it remains unclear how it will impact CPI(M)’s prospects in the state.
