KASARAGOD: Tension prevailed at Kumbla Government Higher Secondary School where General Education Minister N Samsudheen inaugurated a new building for the school. After the BJP cadre staged a protest against the UDF government that has suspended a teacher over the quiz question on V D Savarkar, the Indian Union Muslim League workers who had come to the event staged a counter protest putting police on tenterhooks.
Dramatic scenes unfolded after the police took custody of BJP leaders, namely BJP district general secretary P R Sunil, Yuva Morcha Kasaragod district president Ashwin Kollalaail, and Sandeep Gatti, and women leaders including district president M L Ashwini attempted to stop the police vehicle ferrying the BJP men. Police released them later.
Meanwhile, Minister N Samsudheen told mediapersons that the quiz was not part of educational calendar. “Further investigation is under way. If anyone else is involved in this, they would also face action,” he said when asked about other teachers allegedly involved in preparing the question.
BJP goes on the offensive over Vande Mataram, Savarkar controversy
The ongoing Vande Mataram row has handed the state BJP a political issue on a platter, with the party now planning a full-fledged campaign in support of the national song.
A meeting of the party’s state core committee decided to organise a massive statewide Vande Mataram campaign from August 13 in the run-up to Independence Day.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has warned the IUML and UDF government over the suspension of a teacher in Kasaragod for asking a question related to V D Savarkar in an LP school quiz. He said IUML should not interfere in matters attempt to provoke BJP.