Kasaragod: DYFI activists wave black flags at Javadekar, arrested

The DYFI workers tried to disrupt a graduation ceremony attended by Prakash Javadekar at the Central University in Periya The activists emerged from the audience during the graduation ceremony and waved black flags at the HRD minister They were protesting the manhandling of CPM chief Sitaram Yechury allegedly Hindu Sena activists in New Delhi

A group of DYFI activists were arrested in Kasaragod on Thursday after they staged a protest against Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar when he was attending an event in the district.

The workers of DYFI, the youth wing of the ruling CPM, tried to disrupt the graduation ceremony attended by Javadekar at the Central University in Periya, to protest the manhandling of CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury allegedly Hindu Sena activists during a press meet in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The activists emerged from the audience during the graduation ceremony and waved black flags at the HRD minister. They also raised slogans against the BJP government in the Centre. 

Though the DYFI workers tried to get close to the stage when the minister was about to begin his speech, they were soon arrested and removed from the venue. The protesters entered the venue pretending to be students, a senior police officer said, adding that the function went ahead without any disruption. 

Cutting across party lines, political leaders, including those from the Congress and the BJP, had condemned the attack on Yechury. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that it was a pre-planned attack by Sangh Parivar forces.

(with PTI inputs)