Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan faced a black flag protest by the Student Federation of India (SFI), leading to a dramatic scene in Kollam. Expressing dissatisfaction with police inaction, the Governor staged a protest on the wayside, demanding action against the protesting SFI members. In response to the incident, the Union Home Ministry has decided to extend Z+ security cover to the Governor.
“Union Home Ministry has informed Kerala Raj Bhavan that Z+ Security cover of CRPF is being extended to Honourable Governor and Kerala Raj Bhavan,” The Kerala Raj Bhavan tweeted.
The Governor, en route to a function, abruptly left his car and confronted SFI workers who had raised black flags against him. Expressing anger, Governor Khan criticized the police for their failure to arrest the protestors and accused them of supporting the SFI workers. Refusing to move from the roadside, he demanded a copy of the FIR against the protesters.
During the protest, Governor Khan accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of promoting lawlessness in the state. He insisted that he was not staging a protest but waiting for the police to provide him with a copy of the FIR in response to his demand for action against the protesting SFI, which is affiliated with the CPI-M.
After a standoff lasting over two hours, the Governor agreed to leave the scene only after the police presented him with a copy of the FIR filed against 17 SFI activists. The FIR includes non-bailable provisions. It is noteworthy that this incident echoes a similar event in December 2023 when Governor Khan faced a protest in Thiruvananthapuram, prompting him to step out of his car and address the demonstrators.