THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: What is the common thread in additional district magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu’s death and the recent controversies that have plagued the state bureaucracy? The communal WhatsApp group and the petty quarrel between senior officers could be bureaucratic issues for the government. But for the new generation, they are disturbing trends that do not fit in with the concept of ‘Building Nava Keralam my view' the topic in the high school category’s elocution event at the 63rd State School Arts Festival.
The views aired by most participants went beyond the government’s stated goals of the initiative, like housing, healthcare or waste management.
The local government representative accused of abetting the suicide of Naveen Babu, the IAS officer who allegedly created a communal WhatsApp group and his colleague who criticised a senior through a Facebook post were misusing the freedom of expression envisaged in the Constitution, according to a participant.
He called for a concerted effort to regain democratic values in society. A range of issues from allegations of human sacrifice that surfaced in Pathanamthitta to crimes against women and children and student migration were cited by other participants as challenges.
A girl raised concern about educated women being confined to the role of housewives. By referring to the abuse physical, mental and sexual that women face, she enunciated her vision for Nava Keralam: a women friendly state in every sense.
Some participants called for efforts to conserve the environment and at disaster mitigation. Society as a whole should take the lead to “clear rivers where plastic flows”, said a participant.
Hartals, communalism, brain drain, affinity for TV serials were among the other points raised. The Malayalam competition in the high school and higher secondary school categories were held at ‘Thalassery Puzha,’ the venue at Chalai GHSS. The competition for high school students ended around 1.45 am and was followed by the event for higher secondary students.