Students call incident a ‘serious threat to peace and social harmony’
Thiruvananthapuram, April 22 : A weapons training camp conducted by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the premises of Mar Ivanios College in capital city of the southern state of Kerala has triggered widespread protests from student bodies, who have raised strong objections to the use of an educational institution for “unconstitutional and dangerous activity.”
According to Kashmir Media Service, the RSS, a Hindu paramilitary organisation affiliated with the broader Sangh Parivar, held the camp in preparation for a scheduled officers’ training event on 2 May. Footage this week shows men engaged in weapon drills on the college ground, sparking public criticism and demands for accountability.
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Kerala Students Union (KSU) jointly voiced their outrage, calling the incident a “serious threat to peace and social harmony.”
“Educational institutions are meant for learning, not for spreading fear or practising violence,” the SFI’s Thiruvananthapuram district committee said in a statement. “The RSS has no right to militarise our campuses and poison young minds with hatred. This is not just inappropriate, it is unconstitutional.”
KSU echoed similar concerns, accusing the college authorities of adopting double standards. “Student organisations are not even allowed to bring their flags onto the campus,” a KSU spokesperson said. “But the RSS is being given the freedom to hold arms training here. This is a shameful betrayal of the ideals of education.”
Despite the gravity of the allegations, it remains unclear who permitted the camp. Both student organisations demanded that the college administration, the principal, and the church authorities clarify their roles. The administration has so far maintained that college premises are generally not made available for external events https://kmsnews.org/kms/