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The Kerala government on Wednesday directed all colleges in the state not to implement Governor Rajendra Arlekar’s directive to observe August 14 as ‘Partition Horror Day’.
Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu told reporters the state government’s position is that campuses in Kerala need not observe the day on the eve of Independence Day, as doing so could lead to “communal polarisation.”.
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The Minister stated that she has instructed the Director of Collegiate Education and the Director of Technical Education, both under the Higher Education Department, to convey the government’s stance to all colleges under their respective jurisdictions.
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Exercising his role as Chancellor of the state’s universities, Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar last week directed the state-run universities to observe ‘Partition Horror Day’ on August 14.
An official email from Kerala Raj Bhavan last week instructed universities to organise seminars and commemorative events, including street plays and dramas highlighting “the trauma of India’s partition.” It has been reported that the governor’s directive is in accordance with the Central government’s initiative launched in 2021, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
The state government’s intervention came following reports that a few universities had issued directive to college principals to submit action plans for seminars and cultural programmes on August 14 to mark ‘Partition Horror Day’ .Dr K Sivaprasad, Vice-Chancellor of the Technological University, stated that colleges have been directed to hold the programs on Thursday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan the other day had strongly criticised the Governor’s directive to universities to observe Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. He said that those who mocked Mahatma Gandhi when he tried to quell riots during India’s partition are the same elements pushing this agenda. The CM added that issuing directives from Raj Bhavan to implement the political agenda of the Sangh Parivar is unconstitutional.
The CM added that issuing directives from Raj Bhavan to implement the political agenda of the Sangh Parivar is unconstitutional. He called the Governor’s move to commemorate Partition Horrors Day on August 14 objectionable and emphasised that universities should not be used as a platform to implement such agendas.
The Congress-led UDF on Wednesday criticised Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s directive to observe “Partition Horror Day” in the state on August 14, calling it a “Sangh Parivar agenda to create divisions in the country”.
Senior Congress leader and Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, described the Governor’s circular to university vice-chancellors as part of the Sangh Parivar agenda.
“This is part of the Sangh Parivar agenda to divide the nation and its people. The Governor should not implement it. If he does, it will face strong opposition from us,” Satheesan said.
Meanwhile, Governor Rajendra Arlekar reportedly once again wrote to Vice Chancellors, urging them to observe Partition Horrors Remembrance Day tomorrow. The letter also requests details of the programs planned on each campus.
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