Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 19 (IANS): The Kozhikode Government Arts and Science College on Sunday directed the participants of a public programme in which Kerala Chief Minister Pinaryai Vijayan was the Chief Guest not to wear black clothes or even black masks.

This has brought widespread criticism against the government, college authorities and the police.

It may be recalled that since the state budget increased the fuel cess by Rs 2 per litre, the streets of Kerala witnessed widespread protests with agitators showing black flags at the Chief Minister and several have been taken to preventive custody.

The Chief Minister is now in Kozhikode in North Kerala for some official programmes and the Government Arts College authorities have issued the order not to wear black clothes and black masks.

Meanwhile, protests have been raging after the police took into custody a few Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists as a precautionary detainment due to the programme of the Chief Minister at Kozhikode Arts College.

Kerala opposition leader, V.D. Satheeshan and KPCC president K. Sudhakaran has been relentlessly levelling criticisms Aof the police's high-handedness against the people of the state while the Chief Minister was moving in a convoy to attend various programmes.

There was widespread criticism against the Chief Minister using a chopper to attend public programmes even as the state is reeling under a severe economic crisis.