Ayodhya consecration: Govt-aided school in Kasaragod declares holiday, minister asks for report

Kasaragod: Kerala's Minister for Education V Sivankutty has sought a report from the Director of General Education on a government-funded school in Kasaragod declaring a holiday to celebrate the consecration ceremony of Ayodhya's Lord Ram temple on Monday.

Sri Gopalakrishna High School, the school which declared the holiday, is managed by Sri Gopalakrishna Temple, at Ramdas Nagar in Madhur Grama Panchayat, a bastion of the BJP in Kasaragod district. The party has been controlling Madhur Grama Panchayat for around 47 years and Ramdas Nagar is a prominent centre of the party.

"The school declared holiday on the request of a section of parents and residents," said Radha K Pachakad, panchayat member from Ramdas Nagar ward. "We have several temples around the school and there are celebrations in all the temples. We wanted our children to take part in the celebration and that is why a holiday was declared," she said.

The school's Head Teacher Sreehari N said the BJP threatened to stage a protest at the school if a holiday was not declared on Monday.