Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian Union Muslim League have locked horns in Kerala over two contentious issues, the suspension of a teacher linked to a quiz question on V D Savarkar, and the singing of the full version of Vande Mataram.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar issued a direct warning to the IUML on Monday, telling the party not to interfere in matters related to Savarkar. “Don’t provoke us,” he said. He described Savarkar as “an important part of India’s freedom struggle” and said the BJP would not stay silent if any attempt was made to alter history or push a “conspiracy-driven narrative” in Kerala’s education sector.
The controversy began after a Social Science Club Freedom Quiz held on August 6 at AUP School, Pallathadka, in Kasaragod, included a question describing Savarkar as the freedom fighter who “received the maximum punishment at the hands of the British.” The state education department said the quiz was not part of the official curriculum. Following an inquiry, teacher Guru Prasad, who prepared the questionnaire, was suspended. Education minister N Shamsudheen indicated further disciplinary action against other teachers if they were found involved.
On Vande Mataram, Chandrasekhar criticised both the Congress and the CPI(M)-led LDF for opposing the full rendition of the song. Kerala health minister K Muraleedharan and Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan had opposed singing it in full. “We Indians will sing it in full,” Chandrasekhar said. He also took a sharp dig at the Congress, saying, “Let them sing the Italian national anthem,” and told the CPI(M) to “sing some German song of Karl Marx.”
BJP Palakkad zonal general secretary K K Surendran separately accused the IUML of trying to distance the Muslim community from the national mainstream. He pointed out that Muslims had sung the full version of Vande Mataram between 1896 and 1937 without it affecting their faith, and noted that leaders including Maulana Abul Kalam Azad had attended All India Congress Committee sessions where the song was sung.
Chandrasekhar also accused IUML ministers of delaying visits to families of fishermen missing from Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, and questioned the midnight arrest of right-wing commentator T G Mohandas, calling the timing an example of “double standards.”
