'Padapooja' in schools: Practice is part of our culture, says Governor Rajendra Arlekar

Turning a new page in his divide with the state government, Governor Rajendra Arlekar welcomed the Guru Purnima celebration in schools, where part of it included students washing the feet of elderly teachers. General Education Minister V Sivankutty and CPM state secretary M V Govindan criticized the practice.

 

Guru pooja is our culture. I don't know from which culture these individuals belong," the governor added while opening the golden jubilee celebration of Balagokulam in Balaramapuram, Thiruvananthapuram. Referring to the fact that he has received some complaints on this front, Arlekar stated that an attempt to forget our culture would result in our forgetting ourselves.

 

Yet, Sivankutty denied the claims of the governor. "Kerala does not have that kind of culture, and such a practice will not fare well here either," he said, calling the practice cruel. "It is unfortunate to witness individuals holding important roles like the governor making such a statement," he said.

 

I do not know of any Indian scripture that requests school children to wash the feet of BJP leaders," the minister stated, saying that such an activity could be considered "mental harassment" under Section 17(1) of the Right to Education Act.

 

Denouncing the practice, Govindan stated that the RSS is attempting to introduce activities that were a part of the traditional chaturvarnya system.

 

The row was initiated when pictures and videos of children washing the feet of elderly teachers as a part of Guru Purnima celebrations emerged from schools in the state. Sivankutty has directed the director of general education to ask schools for an explanation.

 

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also filed a suo motu case in the matter, informing that all such incidents will be covered under the same case.