Kerala HC asks govt if permission was granted for Abhimanyu memorial

KOCHI:  The High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to inform it whether the memorial of slain SFI leader Abhimanyu was erected on Maharaja’s College campus in Ernakulam with the government’s permission. A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar, issued the order on a petition filed by students of the college, K M Amjad and Carmel Jose, who sought the declaration that no one was entitled to erect structures or memorials for deceased student leaders or politicians on the college campus. 

The petitioners also sought a directive to the Ernakulam District Collector not to permit unauthorised construction on the college premises. The court orally observed permission from the authorities concerned was required for constructions on government land. The state attorney sought time to obtain details in this regard, following which the court posted the case to July 11. The petitioners submitted student politics had turned college campuses into killing fields and many innocent lives had been lost. 

The High Court had held educational institutions were meant for imparting education and not for politics. Despite this, SFI erected a memorial for Abhimanyu. The petitioners submitted no permission was obtained from authorities for the memorial. 

Since a memorial comes under provisions of Kerala Municipality Building Rules, a permit and a plan approved by the Corporation secretary were necessary before beginning construction. Maharaja’s College is a government college and the government is duty-bound to protect and preserve the property. “However, since the student wing of the ruling party erected the memorial, the government turned a blind eye towards the violation,” the petitioners submitted.