Calicut University Imposes Ban on Campus Protests

### Swift Summary
– University of Calicut authorities banned protests within a 200-meter radius of the Tenhipalam campus, citing a Kerala High court order from 2012.
– The notice was conveyed by the Tenhipalam police station SHO to leaders of student organizations amidst recent protests.- Protesting organizations include Students Federation of India (SFI), Kerala Students Union (KSU), and Muslim Students Federation (MSF).
– SFI protested against alleged “saffronisation” of State universities, while KSU and MSF protested reported manhandling incidents during SFI demonstrations.
– Nine SFI activists were suspended by Vice-Chancellor P.Raveendran for allegedly assaulting university staff and disrupting the V-C’s office.
– The police warned students against violating the ban on demonstrations, strikes, or ‘dharnas’ in restricted areas around key university buildings.
– Despite warnings, SFI declared it would continue protests until reinstatement of suspended students.

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### Indian Opinion Analysis
The University of Calicut’s move to enforce a protest ban highlights an escalating conflict between student activism and institutional governance. Rooted in legal precedent from 2012, this decision signals administrative efforts to maintain order amidst rising dissent on issues such as alleged saffronisation and staff safety concerns. However, it may also deepen tensions with student groups like SFI that view suspension actions as heavy-handed.

The enforcement could set broader precedents about balancing democratic rights with operational efficiency at academic institutions in Kerala-and likely beyond. If strictly implemented without dialog or mediation efforts, such bans risk alienating stakeholders like students while offering short-term campus stability.

For policymakers involved at state levels or educational governance boards nationwide, this scenario underlines recurrent challenges with preserving both freedom of expression and institutional functioning within India’s public universities framework.*Read more*: