Thiruvananthapuram: Chief minister V D Satheesan has forwarded to the home department a letter from leader of the opposition Pinarayi Vijayan seeking the withdrawal of cases registered against protesters in Kerala during nationwide demonstrations against the Union govt over the NEET examination question paper leak.In the letter, Vijayan demanded the unconditional withdrawal of all cases filed in Kerala against those who expressed solidarity with the student protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.“Students, youth, cultural activists and members of the public had come forward in support of the agitation against the central govt. Reports suggest that the Kerala Police have registered cases against nearly 5,000 people across different parts of the state for participating in these demonstrations,” he wrote.The letter points out that, although the central govt had agreed to drop all such cases as part of settling the protest, the UDF govt in Kerala has not taken a similar step.The historic nationwide protest led by students and young people against the Union govt over the NEET examination question paper leak had won the backing of the country’s collective conscience, he said.“As in Delhi, students and youth who took part peacefully in the demonstrations in the state were met with water cannons and lathi charges. The cases were filed following this. The govt’s stance has become thoroughly undemocratic.”Referring to Satheesan’s participation in the Delhi protest, Vijayan wrote: “Although, in the final phase of the agitation in Delhi, you joined the protest alongside Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, it is improper that the government in Kerala under your leadership has filed cases against those who stood in solidarity with the Delhi agitation.”It is deeply condemnable that even participants in peaceful protests and cultural gatherings have been booked under false cases, he added.Student organisations, public figures and cultural activists had organised several protests across Kerala in support of the Jantar Mantar agitation. Demonstrations intensified after police used water cannons and lathi charges against students and youth who had gathered at Jantar Mantar and later attempted to march to Parliament.
