SFI activists burn Kerala governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and V-C Mohanan Kunnummal in effigies in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday as they protested against the Governor’s directive to all universities to observe ‘Partition horror day’.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
The Kerala government has informed universities and affiliated colleges that observing ‘Partition horror day’ on Thursday, as directed by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, was not mandatory.Higher Education Minister R. Bindu told mediapersons on Wednesday that official instructions have been issued through the Directorate of Collegiate Education and the Directorate of Technical Education.Raj Bhavan had issued a directive asking all universities to observe the day, which falls on August 14, the eve of Independence Day. However, the Minister said the State government does not support conducting such programmes on university campuses.“It is the view of the Kerala government that such programmes need not be conducted on our campuses. Such events run the risk of being transformed into platforms for religious hatred and social division, which contradict the principles upheld by the State’s educational policy,” Dr. Bindu said.Independence Day is marked in Kerala every year with the focus on positive values to celebrate the unmatched contributions of freedom fighters and the inclusive ideals enshrined in the Constitution. “To suddenly introduce a programme under the label of ‘partition horrors’ would inevitably lead to communal polarisation,” the Minister cautioned.Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan reiterated his strong criticism of the Governor’s directive, calling it a serious mistake and part of a larger agenda by the Sangh Parivar to divide the nation.He accused the Governor of attempting to implement a divisive agenda in line with the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. “They have now introduced a new tool, the fear of partition, to create communal divides among the people. The BJP’s earlier attempts to pit Christian and Muslim communities against each other have already been exposed. When that failed, they came out with this new narrative,” the Congress leader alleged.Meanwhile, the Students Federation of India (SFI) held demonstrations across the State against the efforts to observe the ‘Partition horror day.’The effigies of both the Governor and the Vice-Chancellor were burnt on the Kerala University campus. The BJP-backed Syndicate members condemned the incident. Published - August 13, 2025 07:38 pm IST
