Thiruvananthapuram: Amid already strained relations with the ruling Left, Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar’s directive to state universities to observe 14 August as “Partition Horror Day” has sparked fresh controversy and condemnation from the government.
An official email from Kerala Raj Bhavan, which surfaced Monday, was sent by the additional secretary to the Governor, saying that universities should observe 14 August as “Partition Horror Day”. It directed that the universities could organise seminars and plays that “show how terrible the Partition was” to the impacted people. The statement also directed vice chancellors to submit their action plans on the matter.
The circular is the latest flashpoint in the tussle between Raj Bhavan and the state government. In June, both the government and the ruling Left Democratic Front, along with the opposition United Democratic Front, had taken to the streets to protest against the Governor, accusing him of turning Raj Bhavan into RSS headquarters after a ‘Bharat Mata’ portrait holding a saffron flag became a constant fixture at several official events.
The new directive has drawn sharp criticism from the state government and the Congress. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the call was an attempt to diminish the importance of Independence Day. He alleged that the Sangh Parivar’s push for such a commemoration alongside Independence Day stemmed from the fact that it had no role in the country’s freedom struggle.
“It is unconstitutional for the Raj Bhavan to issue directives aligned with the Partition politics agenda of the Sangh Parivar. The Governor’s action of sending circulars to vice-chancellors to observe August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day is condemnable. We cannot allow our universities to be used as platforms to implement such an agenda,” the chief minister said in a statement Monday night.
He added that the Sangh Parivar conveniently ignored the fact that the Partition and the post-Partition riots were the result of the British policy of divide and rule.
Kerala Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan also asked under what authority the Governor had issued such a directive. “It is unconstitutional for the Governor to make decisions and act in parallel to the state government. By doing this, Vishwanath Arlekar, holding a constitutional post, is openly telling Kerala that he still represents the divisive politics of the RSS,” the Congress leader said.
However, an official at the Kerala Raj Bhavan told ThePrint that the circular was issued in the month of June in line with the University Grants Commission’s directive.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in 2021 the decision to observe 14 August as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ as a tribute to all those who had lost their lives during the Partition. The following year, the UGC had issued directives to universities and colleges to commemorate the day.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
