Amid a raging feud between the Kerala Raj Bhavan and the ruling CPI(M), its student outfit SFI burnt a huge effigy of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at Payyambalam beach here on Sunday evening, accusing him of "communalising" the state's education sector.

The 30ft tall effigy bearing the likeness of Khan was set ablaze by SFI State President K Anushree in the evening, as fellow members of the student organisation raised slogans.

The SFI said the protest was organised against the nomination of Hindu right-wing activists to university senates in the state by Khan in his capacity as chancellor of universities.

Speaking to the media, Anushree explained that the effigy was burnt with the hope that in the new year, the Governor would refrain from pursuing a communal agenda in the state's higher education sector.

"It is our protest against his communal agenda," she said.

She added that Payyambalam beach was chosen for the protest due to its significance as the location of the memorial for Kerala's communist stalwarts from the north Kerala district, including the legendary leader A K Gopalan.

There have been verbal duels between the Governor on one side and the CM and the SFI on the other around the issue of appointments made by Khan to the senate of some universities in the state.

Khan has claimed that he is being attacked because the state government and the SFI no longer have control over the universities in the state, citing a recent Supreme Court order quashing the reappointment of Gopinath Ravindran as Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University.

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