Thiruvananthapuram: Amid already strained relations with the ruling Left, Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar’s directive to state universities to watch 14 August as “Partition Horror Day” has sparked recent controversy and condemnation from the federal government.

An official e mail from Kerala Raj Bhavan, which surfaced Monday, was sent by the extra secretary to the Governor, saying that universities ought to observe 14 August as “Partition Horror Day”. It directed that the schools might organise seminars and performs that “present how horrible the Partition was” to the impacted folks. The assertion additionally directed vice chancellors to submit their motion plans on the matter.

The brand new directive has drawn sharp criticism from the state authorities and the Congress. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan mentioned the decision was an try and diminish the significance of Independence Day. He alleged that the Sangh Parivar’s push for such a commemoration alongside Independence Day stemmed from the truth that it had no function within the nation’s freedom battle.

“It’s unconstitutional for the Raj Bhavan to concern directives aligned with the Partition politics agenda of the Sangh Parivar. The Governor’s motion of sending circulars to vice-chancellors to watch August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day is condemnable. We can not enable our universities for use as platforms to implement such an agenda,” the chief minister mentioned in a press release Monday evening.

He added that the Sangh Parivar conveniently ignored the truth that the Partition and the post-Partition riots had been the results of the British coverage of divide and rule.

Kerala Chief of Opposition V.D. Satheesan additionally requested below what authority the Governor had issued such a directive. “It’s unconstitutional for the Governor to make selections and act in parallel to the state authorities. By doing this, Vishwanath Arlekar, holding a constitutional put up, is brazenly telling Kerala that he nonetheless represents the divisive politics of the RSS,” the Congress chief mentioned.

Nonetheless, an official on the Kerala Raj Bhavan instructed ThePrint that the round was issued within the month of June consistent with the College Grants Fee’s directive.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced in 2021 the choice to watch 14 August as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ as a tribute to all those that had misplaced their lives throughout the Partition. The next yr, the UGC had issued directives to universities and faculties to commemorate the day.

(Edited by Sugita Katyal)