The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Jacob calls for discussions

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Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Jacob calls for discussions

Special Correspondent

Controversy over textbook

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader T.M. Jacob has asked the government to withdraw the school textbooks which “reject religion, foment communal enmity, inject Communist politics and distort the country’s freedom struggle” and come forward to hold talks with those concerned.

The former Education Minister who was addressing the participants of a Secretariat march taken out by the Kerala Congress (Jacob) on Monday said that discussions were held when such issues cropped up in the past.

The march was in support of the fast being organised by the party leaders, Vakkanad Radhakrishnan and Johny Sebastian, before the Secretariat for withdrawal of the textbooks.

Mr. Jacob described as childish the referring of the issue to an expert committee as it consisted of Left sympathisers.

He pointed out that when the DPEP issue cropped up it was referred to a committee chaired by S. Guptan Nair, who was acceptable to everyone, and changes were made in it.

Meanwhile, State president of the Youth Congress T. Siddique, who is launching an indefinite fast before the Secretariat on July 9 regarding the issue, described as ‘cheap’ the Education Minister’s bid to create the impression that education expert Yashpal approved of the book.

The relay fast being organised by the Youth Congress before the Secretariat over the issue crossed the fifth day on Monday.

K. Karunakaran visited the participants.

Case registered

A case was registered against 100-odd activists of the Kerala Congress (Jacob) for violating the regulations introduced by the police during the Secretariat march on Monday demanding withdrawal of the controversial social science textbook.

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