The Hindu : Front Page : Talks with K.R. Gouri satisfactory: Congress

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Monday, Jul 14, 2008
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Talks with K.R. Gouri satisfactory: Congress

Staff Reporter

Further talks on Tuesday to sort out differences

Sorting out differences: Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala calling on JSS leader K.R. Gouri at her residence at Chathanadu on Sunday

ALAPPUZHA: With cracks appearing in the United Democratic Front (UDF) over the textbook row and Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samithi (JSS) leader K.R.Gouri distancing herself from the UDF agitation against the Class VII social science textbook, efforts are on to sort out the differences.

Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala met Ms. Gouri at her Chathanadu residence on Sunday. The Congress leaders said the talks so far were “satisfactory” and further talks would be held till the differences within the UDF were sorted out.

The talks were held after Ms. Gouri had aired her views publicly, stating that there were no major mistakes in the textbook and that the UDF agitation was uncalled for. The veteran leader also said that the ‘minor mistakes’ in the book could be rectified through talks that should be initiated by the State government. Ms. Gouri also wanted inter-religious marriages to be encouraged, and contrary to UDF allegations, she said there was nothing anti-religious in the textbook.

Mr. Chennithala, who addressed a press conference along with Ms. Gouri after the hour-long discussion, said the Congress leadership was satisfied with the meeting. The differences of opinion would be settled through further talks, which would be held after a UDF meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

“Each of the allies in the UDF is entitled to its own opinion. But on the whole, the UDF will move ahead as a single unit after settling all differences through discussion,” he said. Ms. Gouri said her party’s future course of action would be decided after the talks were completed.

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