Thiruvananthapuram: Amid rising tensions between the Kerala government and the Raj Bhavan, State Education Minister V. Sivankutty announced on Friday that the “constitutional powers of the Governor” will be introduced in Class 10 textbooks starting this academic year.
The move follows a protest by Sivankutty, who walked out of an official event at the Governor’s residence on Thursday, objecting to the display of a Bharat Mata image styled after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He stated that the inclusion of the topic in school curricula would begin with Class 10.
"Then, as and when the change in curriculum takes place, it would be included in other classes too. See, this should be taught in schools, as children should know all these things," Sivankutty added.
In a statement on Friday, the minister said the curriculum reforms are aimed at promoting constitutional principles, and schools play a vital role in helping children learn how democracy works.
"In recent times, there has been a rise in efforts to destabilise elected governments by misusing Governors," Sivankutty said, adding that even the Supreme Court has made clear what a Governor's powers are under the Constitution.
"Since schools are the ideal place to learn the values of democracy, the revised textbooks will specifically include content on the constitutional powers of Governors to educate students on this matter," he said.
The minister said the topic will appear in the second volume of the Social Science textbook this year and will also be part of upcoming changes to higher secondary school books.
Thursday's protest wasn’t the first time a Kerala minister objected to the RSS-style image of Bharat Mata. Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad had skipped a Raj Bhavan event on World Environment Day upon learning that the same image would be displayed. To avoid confrontation, the state government quickly organised a parallel event at the Secretariat.
Tensions between the Raj Bhavan and the state government have simmered for some time. During the tenure of former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, relations hit a low point, with frequent skirmishes involving ministers and even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. At times, customary pleasantries were conspicuously absent when the two shared a stage. The strain culminated in none of the Cabinet Ministers, including Vijayan, showing up to bid farewell to Khan on his departure from Kerala.
In contrast, the arrival of current Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar seemed to signal a reset. Vijayan personally received him at the airport, and Arlekar’s visit to the Chief Minister’s residence with birthday wishes and gifts on Vijayan’s 80th birthday sparked talk of a budding rapport.
However, now with the decision to include the powers of governor in the school curriculum in the state, it appears the bonhomie was short-lived.
(with agency inputs)