Kerala Engineering Students Praised For Their Epic Response To Shut Down Moral Policing

A group of students at the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram have been showered with praises online and offline for their response to moral policing by some locals.

It all began with an RWA in the Kerala capital 'forcing gap' between seats to prevent girls and boys from sitting together in a waiting shed.

RWA's moral policing

Images posted on social media showed the waiting shed near the engineering college with just three seats and huge gaps in between.

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Students alleged that the waiting shed originally had a long bench, but recently the RWA removed parts of it to create gaps, turning it into three seats.

They alleged that the RWA had done it to prevent girls and boys from sitting close to each other.

Students respond

The students then responded by posting photos of girls sitting on the lap of boys.

The photos went viral on social media with many including politicians and celebrities coming out in support of the students.

Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty was among those who praised the students for their response.

Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya S Rajendran who appreciated the stand taken by the students also later visited the spot on Thursday.

In a Facebook post, she said the manner in which the bench was cut into three seats was not only "inappropriate", but also "unbecoming of a progressive society" like that of Kerala.

She said that there is no ban on girls and boys sitting together in our state and those who still believe there should be such a prohibition are still living in ancient times.

"One can only sympathise with those who do not understand that times have changed," she added.

The Mayor said that the waiting shed in question was illegally constructed by the RWA on government land.

She also promised to construct a new one after demolishing the illegal structure.

Only following COVID guidelines, says RWA

Under fire from various corners, the RWA said that the bench was converted into three seats as part of renovating the dilapidated structure and keeping in mind COVID-19 guidelines to maintain social distancing.

Members of the RWA said that they do not approve of the conduct and behaviour of the CET students inside the bus stand during the day and even late at night. They insisted that the seats were not deliberately separated into three to dissuade the students.

"This is a bus shelter we built for people to wait for the bus. If they want to sit together, let them do so inside the college campus. We do not approve of their behaviour," some local residents told the media.

Students allege harassment by locals

The students, however, said that they have been subjected to moral policing and harassment by locals for a long time.

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"We have been suffering this for a long time and therefore, we decided it was about time we reacted to it. We, of course, never expected the photographs to go viral. We were just attempting to ensure that such moral policing does not occur in the future.

"They should understand there is nothing wrong with a boy and girl sitting together," the students said.

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