Kerala is in the middle of a big political fight right now. The state government faces strong anger after it decided to follow a central government order to mark ‘Partition Horror Day’. This sudden move has created wide disagreement among different political groups and common people. Many say the order has bad intentions, turning a day meant to remember the pain of India’s division into a reason for new arguments across the state. This growing dispute puts the Kerala government under heavy pressure and raises hard questions about the true purpose of the directive.
Directive for Observance Sparks Controversy
A notable disagreement has come up in Kerala after the Governor’s office, known as Raj Bhavan, told universities to mark “Partition Horror Day” on August 14. This instruction has caused a new wave of political fighting between the Governor’s office and the state government. The Governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, acting as the head of state universities, sent a message asking universities to hold special events like talks, street plays. dramas to highlight “the pain of India’s partition.” This is the first time that universities in Kerala have been formally told to observe this day.
Understanding Partition Remembrance Day
“Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” is an annual national day of memory observed across India on August 14. This day is set aside to remember the victims and the suffering of people during the division of India in 1947. It was first made an official observance in 2021, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it. The main aim of observing this day is to help Indians remember the need to remove social divisions, reduce conflicts. make the spirit of togetherness, social peace. human strength even stronger. The 1947 partition led to a huge number of people being forced to leave their homes, with estimates suggesting between 10 to 20 million people were displaced and about 200,000 to 2 million lives were lost. The government’s goal for this day is to educate people, encourage reflection. make sure that such terrible events do not happen again. Prime Minister Modi said that “Partition’s pains can never be forgotten. Millions of our sisters and brothers were displaced and many lost their lives due to mindless hate and violence.” The University Grants Commission (UGC) had also asked all schools and colleges in 2022 to plan events for this day. Reports also suggest that the Governor’s directive was based on instructions from the Union Home Ministry for all state governments to observe the day.
State Government Expresses Disagreement
The Kerala state government has clearly stated its disapproval of the Governor’s directive. The State Higher Education Minister, R Bindu, told all colleges in Kerala not to follow the Governor’s order. The government believes that observing this day on school and college grounds could lead to “group divisions” and “social unease.” The Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, strongly criticized the Governor’s instruction, calling it “against the rules” and “not acceptable.” He said that giving orders from the Governor’s house to carry out the “political plan of the Sangh Parivar” goes against the law. The Chief Minister also claimed that those who had no part in the fight for freedom and who “made fun of Mahatma Gandhi” when he was trying to stop violence during the partition are now pushing this agenda to make Independence Day seem less vital. General Education Minister V. Sivankutty also spoke out, saying that the Governor was trying to run a “separate government system” without getting approval from the elected ministers. Sivankutty questioned the Governor’s power, saying that he does not have the legal authority to tell institutions to observe specific days. Following these strong reactions, the state government made it clear that observing the day was not compulsory for colleges and universities.
Responses from Other Political Sides and Student Bodies
The issue has also drawn strong comments from other political groups and student organizations in Kerala. The Leader of the Opposition, V. D. Satheesan, from the Congress party, said the Governor’s actions were “against the rules.” Satheesan stated that the Governor was acting more like a “spokesperson for the group-dividing politics of the RSS” instead of a neutral head. He asked the Chief Minister to clearly state the government’s position and officially show its protest to the Governor’s office. The State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Binoy Viswam, went further, calling the Governor’s instruction “against the nation.” Student organizations have also become involved in the argument. The Students Federation of India (SFI), which is linked to the CPI(M). the Kerala Students Union (KSU) have both said they will try to stop any events related to “Partition Horror Day” if they are held. In one case, clashes happened between SFI members and activists from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student group linked to the RSS, at a college in Kasaragod. ABVP members put up posters about the day, which SFI activists then tore down. The SFI also burned an effigy of the Governor outside the college. The Muslim Students Federation (MSF) also spoke out against the Governor’s directive. Despite the state government’s clear opposition, the ABVP went ahead and observed “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” in several colleges. They said that remembering the partition was a moral duty to make young people aware of the terrible events and sacrifices that took place. But, reports indicate that most campuses in Kerala did not hold any functions for the day, suggesting a “weak response” to the Governor’s call.
Wider Reasons for the Debate
This latest disagreement adds to the already tense relationship between the Kerala Governor and the LDF state government. There was also a previous argument about a picture of ‘Bharat Mata’ in the Governor’s house. Those who support the Governor’s move say that observing “Partition Horror Day” gives students a chance to learn about an essential part of history and develop understanding beyond their local areas. On the other hand, those who oppose it see the directive as part of the BJP’s focus on partition stories, which they believe is part of a “bigger political plan based on group divisions.” They argue that this move is an attempt to create divisions among people. Critics also claim that the “Sangh Parivar,” a term often used for the RSS and its related groups, had no part in the freedom struggle and is now trying to reduce the importance of Independence Day.
