CPI(M) Youth Wings Launch Statewide Protests Against UDF Government, Citing Unfair Student Fee Hikes While Liquor Firms Get Tax Relief

Youth and student organizations associated with the CPI(M) staged widespread protest marches across Kerala on Wednesday, hitting the streets against the ruling UDF government’s recent decision to hike fees for CAPE and IHRD professional institutions.

The demonstrations, organized primarily by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI), targeted district colleges and government offices in several major cities, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kozhikode.

Clashes and Water Cannons in the Capital

In the state capital, the protest took a tense turn outside the secretariat. Demonstrators attempted to breach police barricades, leading to scuffles with security personnel. Police deployed water cannons to disperse the crowd and restore order. Similar marches in other districts remained largely peaceful but caused brief traffic disruptions during peak hours.

Talking to ANI, SFI State Secretary PS Sanjeev says, “We staged a protest at the Secretariat gate against the 50% fee hike issue in IHRD and CAPE. Around 10,000 students in the institutes have been impacted... The police manhandled us brutally, especially the male police officers, beating our female leaders, breaking the police protocol. Many of them also used blades to bruise us. We did not see such police for the past 10-12 years and they are enjoying during this assault. Probably the police received orders from the Home Department to do this. This is against the laws. We will be staging a protest across the state, and the fee should be reduced immediately.”

The protesters demanded an immediate rollback of the tax hikes, arguing that the government's fiscal policies are placing an unfair financial burden on ordinary citizens, especially in light of recent government measures to give tax relief to liquor companies.

Opposition Slams UDF's Revenue Measures

The protests mark a growing confrontation between the opposition LDF alliance and the newly formed UDF government. 

CPI(M) leaders defended the youth mobilization. Meanwhile, UDF representatives maintained that the fee adjustments are necessary structural reforms to stabilize Kerala's economy and fund pending development projects.

With both sides digging in, the youth wings of the opposition have threatened to intensify their agitation in the coming days if the state government refuses to reconsider the fee hikes.

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