Kerala Higher Education Minister Rosy M. John's Facebook post on Teachers' Day has sparked controversy. In the post he indirectly criticized Dr. Ram. Dr. Ram was arrested after the suicide of Dalit BDS student Nitin Raj. Nitin had to face caste harassment from Dr. Ram. Rosie M. John also criticized the Vice Chancellor for attending RSS meetings.
Rosie M. John said in her post, “Today we are celebrating Teachers' Day in the memory of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India. He believed in the goodness of teaching rather than high positions of power. He had asked that instead of celebrating his birthday individually, it should be dedicated to all the teachers of the country.”
He said, “Rabindranath Tagore's Shantiniketan and Visva-Bharati transformed the vast world beyond the four walls of the classroom into a classroom. APJ Abdul Kalam remained connected to young minds till his last breath and wanted to return to earth only as a teacher.
All these gave the coming generations the courage to dream and touch the heights of the sky. This wonderful tradition continued in Kerala also. Sukumar Azhikode created a storm of ideas inside and outside the classroom. ONV performed miracles through poetic language.
MGS Narayanan brought history close to his heart. Pro. M. Lilavati connected literature with the soul. All of them tried to instill the courage to question, challenge, improve and improve themselves. He also taught the lessons of big heart and humanity.”
Rosie M. John said in her post, “Those who, sitting in the staff room, humiliated a student by calling him by his caste name and forced him to commit suicide, did not understand the real purpose of teaching.
They did not understand that the job of teaching is to create sensitive and good human beings through the classroom. This day also reminds us that the first responsibility of every teacher is to educate the coming generations without any discrimination.”
The minister said, “It is not at all right for a democratic society that the heads of higher educational institutions should forget the dignity of their post and confine themselves to the platforms of such organizations which promote divisive thinking.
Such tendencies, which sacrifice the right to academic freedom for narrow political interests, raise questions about the very purpose of the education sector and teaching itself. Happy Teacher's Day to all my dear teachers, who remove darkness through knowledge and teach us to keep constitutional values and humanity close to our hearts.
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