Kerala: MSF, SFI protest after teachers stop pro-Palestine mime show in school

KASARAGOD: The student organisations MSF and SFI staged protests at a school here on Saturday after teachers allegedly stopped a mime show in support of Palestine. General Education Minister V Sivankutty said that he has ordered a higher official to to investigate and report about the development. According to police, the mime show was stopped during the school arts festival at Kumbala Government Higher Secondary School on Friday.

Two teachers intervened and asked them to stop the performance before pulling down the stage curtains, they said.

The move drew sharp criticism, prompting the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) to convene a meeting on Saturday. However, activists of Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the student wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), barged into the meeting demanding action against the teachers.

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Teachers locked students in room

The protestors alleged that teachers locked students in a room to stop the event. Pro CPI(M) Student Federation of India (SFI) cadres also staged a protest at the school. Police later removed the protesters from the premises, and personnel have been deployed on the campus to prevent any untoward incident. Officials said the PTA was looking to resume the arts festival and resolve the issues.

Meanwhile, General Education Minister V Sivankutty said that he has directed the Director of General Education to investigate and submit a report into the incident immediately. “It is understood that the action was taken because the mime touched upon the issue of Palestine.

Kerala has always stood against the atrocities being carried out by Israel and stands in solidarity with the children being targeted in Palestine,” he said. He added that efforts would be made to allow students at Kumbala School to perform the same mime on stage in the future.