Students of Kakkachal Saraswathi Vidyalayam at Bandadka in Kasaragod performing ‘pada puja’ of teachers on Thursday. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from political parties, child rights bodies, and civil society.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
The Raj Bhavan and the Kerala government appeared to be set for yet another face-off over the ‘foot worship’ ceremony that was held in some schools in the State as part of Guru Purnima on Thursday. While Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar strongly defended the practice as part of Indian culture, General Education Minister V. Sivankutty, who directed the Director of Public Instruction (DPI) to seek explanations from the schools, said that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is piggybacking on the Governor to push its regressive practices meant to promote a slave mentality among students.
Visuals of the ceremony, held in schools managed by the Bharatiya Vidya Niketan in Kasaragod, Kannur, and Alappuzha, showed students kneeling and washing the feet of teachers and offering flowers in a symbolic ritual of reverence. In a foot-washing ceremony held at Vivekananda Vidya Peedom in Mavelikara, the students were made to wash the feet of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader too. The visuals had drawn widespread condemnation in socio-political circles.
Speaking at a programme organised by Balagokulam, an RSS-affiliated organisation, in the capital on Sunday, the Governor criticised those who were against ‘Gurupuja’. “Gurupuja is an integral part of Indian culture. Some people object to it. I don’t understand which culture these people are coming from. If we cast aside these practices, it will seriously affect the very existence of society,” said Mr. Arlekar.
DPI’s report
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Mr. Sivankutty said that such practices being pushed by the RSS are alien to Kerala’s culture. “It is unfortunate that someone holding the position of Governor would make such statements. I would like to know which particular text related to Indian culture celebrates the practice of students washing the feet of their teachers. We are issuing directions to all the school authorities that no student studying in any school in Kerala should be made to wash the feet of teachers or anyone else,” he said.
Mr. Sivankutty said that though the government had limitations in taking action against unaided school managements, they still require an NOC from the government to function. The government will decide on the action to be taken based on the DPI’s report, which is expected in a week.
‘Feudal culture’
Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary M.V. Govindan said that the RSS is attempting to revive a ritual rooted in the feudal culture to push its agenda of implementing Chaturvarnya (caste system).
“We are not against respecting teachers, but that should not be an excuse to revive such feudalistic practices. Students were even made to wash the feet of RSS leaders. It is part of an RSS agenda to erode Kerala’s secular and democratic fabric. The secular society of Kerala has to unitedly oppose this,” he said.
All India Congress Committee (Organisation) general secretary K.C. Venugopal said that the Governor is attempting to haul Kerala society back to the dark ages by defending such practices. “Such a Governor is a shame for progressive Kerala,” he said.
Published – July 13, 2025 08:30 pm IST
