The controversy over class VII social science textbook in Kerala is snowballing into a major row with student wings of the opposition UDF and ruling LDF engaging in violent clashes.
Many injured in street fights as oppn demands withdrawal of book
KOZHIKODE: The controversy over class VII social science textbook in Kerala is snowballing into a major row with student wings of the opposition UDF and ruling LDF engaging in violent clashes and the Congress vowing to continue the protest till the book is withdrawn.
The row began as a minor issue with pro-Congress Kerala Students Union launching a campaign recently to demand immediate withdrawal of the book, which it charged ‘glorified communist ideology’. However, student groups of other political parties also soon followed suit driving the issue into a crisis of huge magnitude for the ruling LDF. The BJP has also joined the protests.
On its part, pro-Left SFI and DYFI have come up with ‘counter agitations’ literally taking the issue away from the educational field to the political arena. While education minister MA Baby has refused to withdraw the textbook but offered a dialogue to discuss the alleged ‘objectionable’ portions, the opposition parties have turned down the offer and called for intensifying the stir.
Having already left behind a trail of destruction besides injuring several volunteers, policemen and some journalists, the protests now threaten to disrupt the state education system if the government failed to reach an amicable settlement with the warring groups soon.
The violent clashes crossed limits when a group of journalists covering a related incident in Kottayam was roughed up and the office of a leading media house Malayala Manorama was attacked there for reportedly expressing its views on the issue.
Declaring its resolve to take over the agitation at an ‘appropriate time’, the KPCC has made it clear the protests will not be called off until the textbook was withdrawn.
Among other things, it has demanded setting up of a high-level committee of experts to review the curriculum framework and syllabus.
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