Hindu traditions under attack in Kerala? Schools booked for Guru Purnima celebrations, Education Minister orders probe: Know what happened
On 10th July some private schools participated in a series of “Pada Pooja” (foot-worship) ceremonies as part of the Guru Purnima celebrations which triggered political controversy in Kerala. Students kneeled, washed the feet of teachers including retired staff and offered flowers as a symbolic act of respect during the Vyasa Jayanti festivities. The event was observed in institutions affiliated with the Bharatiya Vidya Niketan.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar vigorously defended the practice as an aspect of Indian culture, while the Director of Public Instruction (DPI) was instructed by General Education Minister V Sivankutty to demand clarification from the schools.
He claimed that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is using the governor as leverage to advance its backward policies, which are intended to instill a slave mindset among the pupils. The development turned into yet another confrontation between the Raj Bhavan and the Left government.
The minister expressed that even if the government’s authority to take action against unassisted school administration was limited, they depend on a government No Objection Certificate (NOC) to run. The DPI’s report, which is anticipated in a week, is going to be used by the government to determine the course of action.
Attacks on RSS, Governor
V Sivankutty termed the rituals as anti-democratic and incompatible with contemporary educational ideals. He threatened to take severe measures against institutions that disregard educational standards and instructed the Director of General Education to produce a report.
“It is unfortunate that someone holding the position of governor would make such statements. I would like to know which particular text related to Indian culture celebrates the practice of students washing the feet of their teachers. We are issuing directions to all the school authorities that no student studying in any school in Kerala should be made to wash the feet of teachers or anyone else,” he stated during a program on 13th July. He added that the state’s culture is not accustomed to the kinds of practices being promoted by the RSS.
According to MV Govindan, state secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the RSS is trying to resurrect a feudal-era custom which was abandoned centuries ago, to further its goal of enforcing the Chaturvarnya (caste system).
He declared, “We are not against respecting teachers, but that should not be an excuse to revive such feudalistic practices. Students were even made to wash the feet of RSS leaders. It is part of an RSS agenda to erode Kerala’s secular and democratic fabric. The secular society of Kerala has to unitedly oppose this.”
KC Venugopal, general secretary of the All India Congress Committee claimed that by supporting such activities, the governor is trying to drag Kerala society back to the prehistoric era. He remarked, “Such a Governor is a shame for progressive Kerala.”
Leftist organisations outrage
The ceremony took place in Kasaragod, Kannur and Alappuzha as well as Vivekananda Vidya Peedom in Mavelikara reported a similar incident, in which students conducted the ceremony for Anoop, the district secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Videos of the rituals swiftly went viral, prompting angry reaction from leftist outfits including the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Balasangham, and the Student Federation of India (SFI), who called the practice “degrading” and “regressive.” They alleged that the organisers were trying to introduce Sangh Parivar ideology into educational settings.
According to the DYFI, pupils at the Cheemeni school washed the feet of hundreds of teachers and declared, “Though these brahmanical rituals were conducted in RSS-backed schools, it is a matter of shame for our state.” Furthermore, on 14th July, the DYFI planned a statewide demonstration against these activities in educational establishments.
SFI state president M Sivaprasad contended, “The incident demands strong condemnation and legal action as it reflects an attempt to impose the RSS-backed Chaturvarnya system in Kerala.” SFI state committee submitted a formal complaint to V Sivankutty. The same was forwarded to the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) by the group after which a case was lauched.
“We noticed similar practices taking place in other institutions after receiving the initial complaint about Saraswathy Vidyalaya, Bandadka. The commission has asked the state police to submit a report,” informed Mohanakumar B who spoke to The News Minute. He is the member in charge of Kasaragod district. The body also requested thorough reports from Badudka and Bekal police officials.
Governor, school adminsitration defends the practice
During an event held in Balaramapuram by the Hindu organisation Balagokulam, the governor stated, “Guru puja is part of our culture, where we offer flowers at the feet of our gurus. But some people have objected to it. I don’t understand which culture these people come from.”
He also pointed out the value of “honouring teachers” and underlined that gurus are “great souls” who “deserve respect” and added, “If we forget our culture, we forget ourselves, we’ll be nowhere in this world.”
The headmistress of the Bandadka school, PT Uma, argued that the rite was a part of the traditional “Vyasa Jayanthi” occasion. She voiced, “The feet of the honourable invitees were washed by teachers themselves. Students only offered flowers at their feet. Our children received blessings from the guests through these acts.”
She mentioned that students are urged to touch their feet of their parents every morning and holds the view that the lack of such practices in their lives could contribute to drug use and unethical behavior.
Moreover, Rajeevan, a representative of the Vidyalaya Samithi, a group of parents and teachers of Vivekananda School in Cheemeni, also defended the same and emphasised that it was an element of the ancient and sacred Sanatana Dharma. Any opposition to the same will be “unitedly resisted,” he highlighted.
BVN was founded in Kerala with the goal of advancing Vidya Bharati’s (Vidya Bharati Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Sansthan) educational vision. It is part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) educational branch. Notably, the event was defined as a traditional Indian custom of honouring teachers on Vyasa Jayanti in a promotional social media post on 9th July.
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