Kasaragod: Kerala's Minister for Education V Sivankutty has sought a report from the Director of General Education on a government-funded school in Kasaragod declaring a holiday to celebrate the consecration ceremony of Ayodhya's Lord Ram temple on Monday.
Sri Gopalakrishna High School, the school which declared the holiday, is managed by Sri Gopalakrishna Temple, at Ramdas Nagar in Madhur Grama Panchayat, a bastion of the BJP in Kasaragod district. The party has been controlling Madhur Grama Panchayat for around 47 years and Ramdas Nagar is a prominent centre of the party.
"The school declared holiday on the request of a section of parents and residents," said Radha K Pachakad, panchayat member from Ramdas Nagar ward. "We have several temples around the school and there are celebrations in all the temples. We wanted our children to take part in the celebration and that is why a holiday was declared," she said.
The school's Head Teacher Sreehari N said the BJP threatened to stage a protest at the school if a holiday was not declared on Monday.
On January 18, Madhur Grama Panchayat President Gopalakrishna K gave a letter to the Head Teacher asking him to declare a holiday on Monday, January 22. On January 20, Saturday, the BJP Madhur Grama panchayat committee's president gave a letter with the same demand and threatened to stage a protest if a holiday was not declared on Monday, said Sreehari. "Then the PTA president and members also submitted a letter demanding a local holiday," he said.
Sreehari said he could not reach Kasaragod's District Education Officer on the phone. "So around 7.30 pm on Sunday, I sent an email intimating the DEO that the school will remain closed on Monday," he said.
The same letter said that compensatory classes would be held on February 3, the Head Teacher said.
He said there are six temples around the school and two Ayyappa Bhajana Mandirams. Sri Gopalakrishna Temple, which manages the school, planned massive fireworks as part of the consecration ceremony, he said. "Keeping the safety of students in mind and honouring the requests of the people, a holiday was declared. I did not know it would become such a controversy," he said.
The Head Teacher, he said, has the authority to declare a local holiday. "Don't schools declare a holiday if their teacher or a student dies? We just have to intimate the DEO, not seek permission," he said.
Sreehari said he was asked for an explanation on the matter. "I have given the reply and attached all three letters and also my email to the DEO in my response," he said.