The Kerala Government has issued an order that aims to tighten its control over key autonomous cultural institutions. This order, which gives legal authority to government intervention, particularly by the Minister of Culture, affects establishments under the Department of Culture. Notable institutions affected by this order include the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi, Kerala Chalchithra Akademi, Kerala Kalamandalam, Jawahar Balabhavan, Basha Institute, Kerala Bala Sahitya Institute, Malayalam Mission, Mahakavi Ulloor Memorial Library and Research Centre (Ulloor Smarakam), and Vasthu Vidya Gurukulam.
The order reveals the government’s attempt to exert complete control over these academies. It comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding an advertisement about the government’s second anniversary that appeared in books published by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi.
Highlights of the order include various conditions that clearly indicate the government’s intentions to bring the academies under its total control. The order states that committee meetings of the academies should not be convened during the Legislative Assembly session, and detailed agendas must be provided to the government. Draft minutes of committee meetings should be submitted to the government within 10 days, and if the government suggests changes, the committee must approve them at the next meeting. Additionally, a calendar of events for three months should be prepared and submitted to the government well in advance, taking into account the convenience of the Minister to attend important programs.
Furthermore, the order requires the Secretary to the Department of Culture, who represents the government, to participate in general council and executive committee meetings. The officials must be informed in advance and unofficially reminded to attend the meetings on the specified date. These directives undermine the authority of the academies’ chairpersons and office-bearers to convene meetings and make program decisions.
These measures clearly indicate the government’s attempt to ensure that institutions labeled as autonomous only carry out the government’s agenda. Recent instances have highlighted the increasing government intervention in the affairs of cultural organizations. For instance, during the interim period, the Additional Secretary to the Department of Culture was made the Secretary of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and the Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, and agendas were routinely sent for government approval. This practice continued even after new secretaries took over, now becoming a legal requirement.
The conduct of the Kerala Government contradicts the ideals expressed by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India’s First Minister of Education. He advocated for limited government involvement, stating that cultural institutions like the Sahitya Akademi should determine their own course of action as autonomous entities. The Haksar Commission, which studied the functioning of cultural establishments in India, also recommended maintaining the autonomy of such institutions.
The cultural institutions in Kerala were initially established with the purpose of maintaining their autonomy. The recent government interventions go against this fundamental principle, raising concerns about the future of these academies.
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