KASARGOD: Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Alphons Kannanthanam called on embattled principal of Nehru Arts and Science College P V Pushpaja at her home at Pollapoyil in Kodakkad near Cheemeni on Sunday. Expressing solidarity with her, Alphons said abusing and insulting teachers were not part of “our culture”.
Accompanied by BJP leaders of Kasargod, Alphons reached Pushpaja’s house at around 8.30 am. Kodakkad is a CPM bastion. Printed leaflets abusing the principal and her family were found distributed on Friday. This came after she filed a police complaint against three SFI activists and students of the college for paying her a mock homage on campus on the day she was given a send-off party.
On Sunday, Pushpaja told Alphons she was pained by the mudslinging against her family, and handed him a copy of the abusive leaflet.After reading it, Kannanthanam said the language of the leaflet was condemnable and did not suit Indian culture. He also appreciated Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for rejecting the negative campaign against the principal.He assured the full backing to the BJP and the Central government to the principal, and demanded that those who were behind the leaflet should be brought to justice.