Kerala Education Minister Justifies Past Assembly Disruption, Criticizes NCERT
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty on Sunday offered a robust defense of the notorious ruckus and destruction of public property inside the legislative assembly during the budget presentation under the previous Oommen Chandy government. The minister asserted that the dramatic incident was driven by a profound sense of responsibility to protect the political movement rather than by any personal gain or vendetta.
Responding to Opposition Criticism
Inaugurating the state conference of the All Kerala Private College Teachers' Association (AKPCTA) in Thiruvananthapuram, Minister Sivankutty directly addressed recent remarks from opposition leader V D Satheesan. Satheesan had mockingly pointed out that the person who once climbed onto the assembly's table and created chaos was now serving as the education minister.
"There was an issue inside the assembly once. Everyone knows about it. It happened according to the situation. We have a responsibility to safeguard our movement without looking at personal profit or loss," Sivankutty declared during his speech.
The 2015 Assembly Incident
The minister was referring to the highly dramatic scenes that unfolded in 2015, when members of the then opposition party, including Sivankutty himself, aggressively disrupted parliamentary proceedings. The protestors climbed onto the speaker's dais, damaged furniture, and destroyed electronic equipment inside the House, creating one of the most chaotic moments in Kerala's legislative history.
Sivankutty emphasized that such actions were not taken lightly but were a necessary response to what they perceived as critical political circumstances requiring immediate and forceful intervention.
Sharp Criticism of NCERT
Beyond defending past actions, the education minister launched a comprehensive and sharp attack on the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). He accused the educational body of deliberately distorting historical facts in school textbooks across multiple sensitive areas.
"NCERT is writing absurdities in textbooks. Though delayed, the court intervened," Sivankutty stated, specifically referencing ongoing controversies surrounding textbook revisions related to Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, the Gujarat riots, and historical interpretations of the Mughal period.
Kerala's Alternative Textbooks
The minister highlighted that when such content was "distorted and printed" by NCERT, Kerala stood out as the only state in India to develop and publish alternative textbooks. These state-produced materials aimed to present what Sivankutty described as a more accurate and balanced version of history, countering what he views as ideological manipulation in national curriculum materials.
Allegations of Saffronization in Education
Expanding his critique, Sivankutty further alleged that there exists a systematic and deliberate attempt to "saffronise" higher education across the country. He called for unified resistance against such moves, urging educators and political allies to protect academic integrity and historical truth from what he perceives as politically motivated revisions.
The minister's statements underscore ongoing tensions between state and central educational authorities, particularly regarding curriculum content and historical narrative control in India's diverse educational landscape.
