KOCHI: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac’s announcement in the budget speech that the new library at UC College, Aluva, will be named after PK Vasudevan Nair or P Govinda Pillai has invited criticism.
According to Anwar Sadath, MLA, no names were suggested by the people’s representatives or the management when the project proposal was placed before the chief minister. “The announcement by the finance minister, especially during the budget presentation, reeks of political opportunism,” said Anwar who will take up the issue in assembly on Monday.
He said naming the library after PKV was fine since he was a former chief minister and an alumnus of the college. “But Govinda Pillai? Though he was a famous literary figure and a former student, there were many others from the college more known than him,” he said. Rev Thomas John, manager, UC College, said the management was happy with the government’s decision to allocate Rs 5 crore for the library, though they had sought Rs 6.50 crore for the same. “The amount will be sufficient for constructing the building. The remaining amount will be sourced through CSR funding,” he said. He said since the management had not decided on a name for the library, they were happy it was being named after PKV or Govinda Pillai.