VHP defends V.D. Savarkar's legacy after a school quiz in Kerala sparked a row. A question about his imprisonment was slammed by Left outfits, but VHP's Vinod Bansal challenged critics, questioning the backlash against the nation's heroes.
Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) national spokesperson Vinod Bansal on Saturday defended the legacy of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, questioning the backlash sparked by a question concerning his historic imprisonment following an intense political storm surrounding a school quiz in Keralam.
The controversy erupted following an unapproved "Freedom Quiz" conducted for lower-primary students in the Kasaragod, Kumbla, and Manjeshwar sub-districts, where a tie-breaker question asked: "Who was the freedom fighter who received the most severe punishment from the British?"--with Savarkar as the intended answer. While Left-led student outfits and political critics slammed the inclusion as an attempt to introduce partisan narratives into school curricula, Bansal turned the tables on the detractors.
VHP Defends Savarkar, Challenges Critics
"Consider the question posed to students in Kasaragod, Kerala: Who received the longest and harshest punishment from the British during the country's freedom struggle? While the answer has not been formally given yet, everyone knows what it will be," Bansal told ANI.
Criticising the immediate knee-jerk opposition from ideological quarters, Bansal asserted that the mere mention of Savarkar's name triggered unwarranted panic among political opponents. "Even before the answer could be given, the question itself raised several others--specifically in the minds of Congress members, Communists, jihadists, and those Muslim organisations that have consistently insulted and sidelined the nation's heroes, great figures, and freedom fighters. I fail to understand why this question was put to students in the first place... It should instead be directed at the very politicians who are attempting to cast doubt on it," he remarked.
Challenging critics to measure up to historical sacrifices, Bansal pointed directly to the severity of Savarkar's confinement in the infamous Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. "Can anyone name a Congress member, a Communist, or a Muslim who endured two life sentences, the brutal conditions of the Cellular Jail, and the longest period of imprisonment and persecution?" Bansal asked.
Bansal made a direct appeal to the state's educational leadership, urging them to insulate classrooms from partisan hostility: "I urge Kerala's Education Minister to acquaint children with the truth and facts rather than imposing political prejudices upon them or ruining their lives with a hateful mindset."
Education Department Orders Inquiry Amid Protests
Meanwhile, Education Minister N Shamsudheen has directed the Director of General Education to conduct an immediate inquiry and take strict action against those responsible.
Left student and youth groups, including SFI and DYFI, protested, alleging an attempt to glorify Sangh Parivar-linked figures and push a partisan agenda into school curricula. The row has reignited debate over historical accuracy and ideological content in classrooms.
Department Distances Itself from Unapproved Quiz
The Keralam Education Department has distanced itself from the controversial "Freedom Quiz" in Kasaragod. The Minister's office said the event was never on the department's or Social Science Club's official calendar, and no one was authorised to frame questions or run it.
Officials said local teachers associated with the Social Science Club Association drafted the paper, and the wording may have been influenced by AI. Labelling the content as having "prejudiced views" and factual errors, Minister N Shamsudheen's office confirmed strict action will follow once the probe report comes in. (ANI)
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