Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson and Mahatma Gandhi Foundation president Tushar A Gandhi has urged the Kerala government to withdraw all FIRs, charge sheets and criminal cases registered against students who participated in protests in the state in support of a nationwide student movement.
In a letter dated July 30, addressed to Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Tushar said he was "unpleasantly surprised" to learn that the Kerala Police had registered cases against students protesting in solidarity with the movement.
"This does not behoove the progressive state of Kerala, and even more so, a government led by the Congress Party," he said.
Tushar noted that the Congress leadership at the national level, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had backed the students' movement and criticised the Union government and the Delhi Police for their action against protesting students.
"It is disgraceful to hear that students are being prosecuted even in Kerala, where a UDF government with a Chief Minister and Home Minister from the Congress is in power," he wrote.
"I hope that you and your government believe in the constitutional right of citizens to protest. Let me not remind you that the Congress was born out of the spirit of Satyagraha. One expects much better from a Congress-led government," he added.
Appealing to Satheesan and Chennithala to align with the party's national leadership, Tushar Gandhi urged them to "immediately, without any delay or passing responsibility" order the withdrawal of all FIRs, charge sheets and cases filed against students who participated in the protests.
He also urged the government to withdraw the cases irrespective of the students' political affiliations.
Describing the appeal as his "earnest prayer", he expressed hope that the Chief Minister and Home Minister would take immediate corrective action and ensure that such action was not repeated in the future.