Now Reading: Quiz calling Savarkar most-punished freedom fighter sparks Kerala row
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Quiz calling Savarkar most-punished freedom fighter sparks Kerala row
A state-run school quiz in Kerala’s Kasaragod district has ignited a political storm. The Freedom Quiz for lower primary students in Kumbla and Manjeshwaram included the question: “Who is the freedom fighter…
The Story in Brief
A state-run school quiz in Kerala’s Kasaragod district has ignited a political storm. The Freedom Quiz for lower primary students in Kumbla and Manjeshwaram included the question: “Who is the freedom fighter who received the most severe punishment from the British?” The answer was VD Savarkar. The questionnaire was prepared by teachers of the Social Science Club Association.
Left student outfits, including the SFI and DYFI, accuse the Congress-led UDF government of promoting a Hindutva ideologue and one of the accused in Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination conspiracy. SFI state secretary PS Sanjeev alleged the ruling Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) was helping the Sangh Parivar. General Education Minister N Samsudheen has sought a report from the Director of General Education.
The Indian Opinion
A school quiz asking which freedom fighter got the “most severe punishment” from the British has become a political football. The correct answer may be factual, Savarkar did get two life terms, but the framing deliberately strips context. The Left cries Sangh Parivar influence; the ruling UDF government insists it was just a quiz. Neither side seems willing to ask: is a competitive exam for nine-year-olds the right place to rank suffering in the freedom struggle? The education minister’s report will settle whether this was teacher negligence or an agenda.
Sources (3): english.mathrubhumi.com, deccanherald.com, newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
