SFI and KSU condemn the RSS camp on the college campus in Thiruvananthapuram, question the authorisation, and call it a threat to peace
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM – A weapons training camp conducted by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the premises of Mar Ivanios College in this capital city of the southern state of Kerala has triggered widespread protests from student bodies, who have raised strong objections to the use of an educational institution for what they termed as “unconstitutional and dangerous activity.”
According to reports, the RSS, a Hindu paramilitary organisation affiliated with the broader Sangh Parivar, held the camp in preparation for a scheduled officers’ training event on 2 May. Footage aired by Malayalam news channel Media One this week shows men engaged in weapon drills on the college ground, sparking public criticism and demands for accountability.
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Kerala Students Union (KSU), affiliated with the CPI(M) and the Congress, respectively, jointly voiced their outrage, calling the incident a “serious threat to peace and social harmony.”
“Educational institutions are meant for learning, not for spreading fear or practising violence,” the SFI’s Thiruvananthapuram district committee said in a statement. “The RSS has no right to militarise our campuses and poison young minds with hatred. This is not just inappropriate, it is unconstitutional.”
KSU echoed similar concerns, accusing the college authorities of adopting double standards. “Student organisations are not even allowed to bring their flags onto the campus,” a KSU spokesperson said. “But the RSS is being given the freedom to hold arms training here. This is a shameful betrayal of the ideals of education.”
Despite the gravity of the allegations, it remains unclear who permitted the camp. Both student organisations demanded that the college administration, the principal, and the church authorities clarify their roles. The administration has so far maintained that college premises are generally not made available for external events.
“This raises serious questions,” an SFI leader said. “If students can’t even organise peaceful meetings or raise their voices inside the campus, how can a group like the RSS be allowed to turn it into a training ground for arms and ideology?”
The SFI went further to warn of the dangers of allowing educational spaces to be influenced by Hindutva forces. “The actions of the RSS are dividing campuses and pushing society towards unrest,” the organisation stated. “Such activities must be stopped immediately.”
Referring to the footage broadcast by Media One, the student groups claimed that the visuals showed individuals handling sticks and conducting parade-style drills, which are often associated with the RSS’s regular training routines. “This is not a yoga camp or a cultural programme. This is clear militarisation,” said a KSU member.
The controversy has opened a wider debate about the infiltration of political and religious ideologies in academic spaces, particularly those linked with right-wing outfits. Several students and activists took to social media to express their anger, demanding that authorities step in.
“Temples should be places of spirituality. Schools should be for learning. Neither should become platforms for spreading hatred,” read one post that gained traction online.
Critics argue that the use of educational campuses by groups like the RSS reflects the growing normalisation of Hindutva politics in the country under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government. They say that while student groups are routinely punished for protesting fee hikes or government policies, outfits like the RSS face little to no resistance when it comes to spreading ideological influence.
“This is the dangerous reality of today’s India,” said a local activist. “We are witnessing the systematic takeover of our institutions – not just physically, but ideologically.”
As calls for accountability grow louder, students and activists have urged the Kerala government and college management to launch an independent inquiry into how RSS was allowed access to the campus. They are also demanding that preventive steps be taken to ensure such incidents do not recur.
At the time of writing, neither the college principal nor the church administration had issued a detailed statement. However, student groups warned that silence from authorities would only embolden such groups further.
“This is not just about Mar Ivanios College,” an SFI protester said. “This is about the future of our educational spaces – whether they remain centres of critical thinking and learning, or become breeding grounds for majoritarian politics.”
The students plan to continue their protest and said they are considering legal avenues if the administration fails to take action.
