The Hindu : Kerala News : Mani sees BJP plot in holding exam on Easter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 08, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Mani sees BJP plot in holding exam on Easter

By Our Staff Reporter

KOTTAYAM, APRIL 7 . The Revenue Minister and Kerala Congress leader, K.M. Mani, today alleged that the move to conduct the medical entrance examination by the CBSE Board on Easter Sunday was part of a deliberate attempt by the BJP-led Central Government to bring down the importance of Easter. Speaking to reporters here, he said the move by the Central Government went against the interests of the minorities. The authorities concerned should take immediate steps to change the examination date, he said.

According to Mr. Mani, the contention of the IFDP leader and Union Minister of State for Law, P.C. Thomas, who is also the NDA candidate in the Muvattupuzha parliamentery constituency, that the dates had to be adhered to as it was a directive by the Supreme Court was false and misleading. The date was fixed by the CBSE Board, which functions under the Ministry of Human Resources Development, and when the issue came before the apex court, it was not opposed by anyone. The Additional Solicitor who appeared for the Central Government could have objected to the examinations being conducted on Easter Sunday, but he did not, Mr. Mani said.

He said the attempts of the IFDP leaders, Mr. Thomas and Scaria Thomas, to wriggle out of the situation were "farcical". If they were serious in their efforts, they should impress upon the Central authorities to file a review petition in this regard, he said. The Central Government was responsible for the situation and as a member of the Government, Mr. Thomas had the duty to correct an unfair act, Mr. Mani said.

He recalled that the Central Government move to conduct the Sainik-Central school examinations during Christmas had put to hardship thousands of people who could not make it to Kerala during the Christmas season. The present move proved that the earlier action was not an isolated incident, he said.

Replying to a question, the Revenue Minister said there was nothing wrong in giving Rs. 42 lakhs, which was due to the Infam, as subsidy for rubber exports. To another question, he said the Central team that would tour the State to study the drought situation would consider the loss incurred by the State after the submission of the first report.

The Revenue Minister defended the move of the State Government to include the loss on the power generation front as part of the natural calamity loss.

According to him, except Himachal Pradesh, all most all other States depended heavily on thermal power and Kerala was among the exceptions, which depended on hydel power. As such, it was legitimate on the part of the State to include the loss as part of the natural calamity loss.

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