Sari and Churidar

#Sari and #Churidar

Teachers' attire should be decided based on their work comfort and efficiency. Churidar is more practical and convenient for teachers who have to perform diverse responsibilities such as not only in the classroom but also in lab activities, sports activities, school programs, etc.

It is not appropriate for a civilized society to measure a teacher's qualifications and discipline by the form of the clothes she wears. Respecting the constitutional value that clothing is part of personal freedom, teachers have the right to choose clothes that do not hinder their work and are decent. 

The security guard, on the instructions of the manager of the Kottarakkara Neduvathur Eeshwaravilasam School, did not allow the headmistress to enter the school wearing a churidar. How does a school gatekeeper get more power than the headmistress? Are the school run by goons?  An incident that only Number One Kerala can be proud of!

Not allowing a teacher to enter a school because she was wearing a churidar is an act that questions the freedom and dignity of women. It is the duty of teachers and students to maintain discipline and etiquette in educational institutions; but for managers to impose unnecessary dress codes in the name of that is an abuse of power and arrogance.

It is the responsibility of the government and society to convince all school and college managements who take such unwise decisions of their real responsibility.

K. A. Solaman

Humay dimension

#Human #Dimension 

Sadanandan Master’s act of placing his prosthetic limbs on the table of the Rajya Sabha was not a theatrical stunt but a powerful moral statement. It was a silent yet eloquent reminder of the personal cost of political violence and a testimony to what he claims to have endured in the name of ideology. Parliament is not merely a chamber of procedures; it is also a forum for truth, conscience, and lived experience.

 By showing the nation what he had lost, Master sought to underline the fragility of democracy when intolerance turns into brutality. Such a gesture demands empathy and reflection, not technical hair-splitting. If democracy cannot accommodate the pain of a victim speaking through symbols, then it risks becoming an empty ritual rather than a living moral institution.

John Brittas’s objection, framed narrowly as a “point of order,” came across as insensitive and evasive. Instead of engaging with the substance of Master’s allegation and the larger issue of political violence, he chose to hide behind procedural formalism. This response appeared less like a defense of parliamentary decorum and more like an attempt to silence an uncomfortable narrative. 

Ironically, when disruptions and placards have often been tolerated from opposition benches in the past, invoking rules selectively exposes a troubling double standard. True democratic spirit lies not in suppressing symbolic protest but in confronting painful truths with openness and humility. 

In that sense, Brittas’s reaction diminished the dignity of the House, while Master’s gesture reaffirmed the human dimension of politics.

- K A Solaman

When syllabus is reduced

#When #syllabus is reduced.

When we hear Education Minister Sivankutty's announcement that the syllabus of Class 10 will be reduced by 25 percent, the first thing you think is whether this is an accounting exam.  The content is the same, but the size will be reduced by 25 percent.  We will have to call the mathematician Pythagoras himself again to find out how this is. 

The minister says that the curriculum committee has approved the syllabus reduction;  but when the news comes out that the committee itself was not aware of this, it is natural to doubt whether the education department has become a 'note-taking department'.  When it is certain that a new government and a new minister will come next May, isn't announcing such a long-term change a sign of the minister's mentality of "let me leave a mark before I go"? 

This announcement does not even show the basic sense that the syllabus is being formulated taking into account the national-level structure and coordination with other states. If we listen to the minister's explanation that the syllabus was reduced because the children complained that the syllabus was too much, will we ignore the alphabet if the class first  students say tomorrow that letters are difficult and pictures are enough?  If MBBS students say that anatomy is too long, will we suggest that they only study the heart and ignore lungs.

Education is a matter that should be pursued through scientific planning, not a matter of holding a popularity poll.  If we accept the logic that reducing the syllabus will reduce the difficulty, wouldn't it be a great relief if the exam itself was skipped tomorrow?

Is there no one in the education department who is conscious, this question should be included as a question in the textbook.

-K. A. Solaman

Government's interim joke

#Government's #InterimJoke

When you see a cabinet that has only a life span till mid-May presenting a full budget, it seems like a patient on his deathbed is drawing plans for a new house. Despite knowing the truth that this budget will not be applicable to the new government after the elections, Finance Minister Balagopal has spread “long-term development dreams” in abundance. 

When the treasury is empty and the threat of treasury closure persists, announcing bridges, roads and a golden future is not economics, but political magic. K Rail is gone, and the Rapid Regional Transit System is coming in its place. At least a simple, catchy name could have been given to this permanent railway project.

The claim is that this is a development budget. But it is really a magic show to mesmerize some stupid voters. After the elections, the curtain will fall, the magician will go, and all that is left is a trash can.  If the new government is of the opposite party, it will be thrown into the ditch, including the trash can.

This full budget of the Left government is not a document that faces facts, but a speechbook that runs away from reality. Announcing dreams worth crores from a treasury without money is like building a sand castle from the sea. If a new government comes, all this will have to be written again.

The current budget will become a historical object under the name of “the interim joke of the interim government”. Therefore, this budget is not a road map for development, but a cartoon map of politics. The only consolation is that this budget has not been filled with gibberish like that of its predecessor, the economist.

Writing development dreams where there is no money is not a budget; it is a story that deceives the people.

-K. A. Solaman

Misplaced Activism

#Misplaced #Activism

The petition filed by the Save University Campaign Committee against the Padma Bhushan awarded to Vellappally Natesan is nothing but an unwarranted and ill-conceived overreach. While the committee has earned credibility for exposing corruption within universities, it has no mandate to sit in judgment over a national civilian honour decided by a constitutionally constituted selection process. 

Dragging pending cases and ethical insinuations into a matter of national recognition reflects a prejudiced mindset rather than principled concern. Vellappally Natesan’s lifelong service to the Ezhava community through the SNDP Yogam and the Sree Narayana Trust, which manages numerous educational institutions, is an undeniable social contribution. Reducing his decades of public work to selective allegations is intellectually dishonest and politically motivated.

More disturbingly, the committee’s action amounts to questioning the authority and integrity of the Padma award selection mechanism itself, which is neither its role nor its competence. Natesan’s act of placing the Padma Bhushan at the feet of Sree Narayana Guru symbolised humility and reverence, and was widely appreciated across society. To interpret this honour as controversial is to disrespect both the award and the values of Sree Narayana Guru that Natesan has consistently upheld in public life. 

The Save University Campaign Committee’s move appears less like a principled protest and more like a publicity stunt aimed at staying in the limelight beyond its legitimate sphere of intervention. Such misplaced activism only weakens its moral standing and diverts attention from the genuine issues within higher education that it ought to address.

-K A Solaman

Honouring Vellappally

#Honouring #Vellappally

The Padma Bhushan conferred on Vellappally Natesan is not merely an individual honour but a recognition of decades of public service rooted in social reform and community empowerment inspired by Sree Narayana Guru. As the long-serving General Secretary of the SNDP Yogam, Natesan has worked to modernise and strengthen one of Kerala’s most influential socio-spiritual organisations, ensuring that its activities remained relevant to contemporary social challenges. 

That he chose to place the award at the feet of Sree Narayana Guru symbolically underscores that this honour belongs to the reformist legacy of equality, dignity and self-respect rather than to personal glory. The Ministry of Home Affairs categorising his contribution under “Public Affairs” is therefore apt, since his work has extended far beyond organisational leadership into the broader arena of social justice and public discourse.

Criticism and ridicule on social media ignore the uncomfortable truth that public life in Kerala has always been shaped by strong, outspoken figures who challenged dominant narratives. Natesan’s forthrightness, often labelled controversial, arose from his consistent attempt to safeguard the interests of his community at a time when political fronts increasingly resorted to selective appeasement and communal arithmetic. 

To single him out for polarization while excusing similar or worse conduct by ministers and political leaders reflects double standards rather than principled objection. In this sense, the Padma Bhushan acknowledges a voice that refused to be silent and an organisation that remained socially engaged for decades. 

Honouring Vellappally Natesan is thus not an endorsement of every statement he ever made, but a recognition of sustained service, institutional leadership, and his role in carrying forward the social mission envisioned by Sree Narayana Guru.

-K A Solaman

State microbe

#State #Microbe

Kerala is no longer just “God’s own country”, but also “Bacteria’s own country”. With the list from state bird to state crab complete, here is the state microbe proudly presented; its name is Bacillus subtilis.

This microbe, which is present in soil, water and stomach, is now officially Malayali. So, don’t be surprised if the state microbe dances at the school festival from tomorrow. Tourism branding may also come soon. : “Come to Kerala and meet our friend Bacteria” will be the slogan..

Now even when taking a vaccine, the state will have to ask “Is this a native or a guest?” The next concern is whether other states and countries will be jealous of this. What if Tamil Nadu says “Ours is Lactobacillus”, while Karnataka says “This was first grown in our soil” and files a case in the patent court?  Then the Supreme Court verdict may come like this: “Bacteria have no states or borders”

But there is no end to the declarations for Kerala. The ministers have been making fun of saying “Kerala is number one”. However, the goal is to move forward with the microbe along with what is currently there to maintain the number one position. What will be the next step? 

State virus? State amoeba, 5tate worm? In any case, people will say for sure: There is no other country in the world that gives such great honor to even a small one!

- K. A. Solaman