The SupremeCourt Wednesday disapproved of protests by students on college campusesscornfully wondering if the protesters think they were "MahatamaGandhi" practising his act of resistance "satyagraha".

Indulekha Joseph was suspended from the college for organising protestdemonstration against the institute management. "What kind of a studentare you? You are raising slogans, distributing pamphlets, holding pressconferences, displaying placards. What do you think you are doing, asatyagraha," remarked Justice Katju.

"Do you think you are Mahatama Gandhi," Justice Katju asked. "Youare behaving like a neta (leader), not like a student. This type of netagiri isindiscipline." The bench, however, directed the college authorities toissue Joseph a transfer certificate without adversely reflecting on her conductin the college.

The bench dismissed Joseph's lawsuit, ignoring the apologies tendered by hercounsel Krishnan Venugopal. "Apologies cannot be accepted. You cannot staba person and say sorry." Admitting her petition in November 2008, the apexcourt allowed her to appear for her graduation examination but barred her fromattending classes.

She wasexpelled from the college in February 2007. The daughter of a lecturer of thecollege, Joseph staged protests after her father was transferred from thecollege. The Kottayam-based Mahathma Gandhi University, to which the college isaffiliated, in its reply to the girl's lawsuit said Joseph had been nurturingenmity against the college and its management.

The university said the girl conducted a sit-in in front of the principal'soffice. She distributed leaflets against the college and held a pressconference making unfounded allegations.