Amidst a backdrop of controversy and vocal protests from Hindu organizations, 99 children representing diverse communities came together to participate in the ‘secular’ Vidyarambham ceremony, organized by the Library Committee of the Mattannur municipality in the Kannur district. The event transpired after the High Court dismissed a petition filed against it by Mattannur resident K R Mahadevan, who had sought its cancellation. Among the children in attendance, 21 hailed from the Muslim community, two from the Christian faith, and 76 from Hindu backgrounds, as confirmed by the organizers.
Notable figures, including CPM leader and Mattannur MLA K K Shailaja, writers Lisa Joseph, Prof. Muhammed Ahammed, Mattannur government college’s former principal T Kumaran Nair, and former municipal chairmen K Baskaran, P K Govindan, and K P Chandran, played a pivotal role in introducing the children to the world of learning. During the ceremony, parents had the privilege of choosing the first words their children would write or recite. Ramesh Babu, the librarian of the municipal library, revealed, “Most of them chose either Hari Sree Ganapathaya Namaha, Bismillah (In the name of god), or the first four letters of the Malayalam alphabet.”
The Municipal Library has been conducting the Vidyarambham ceremony since 2014, but this year it faced intense opposition from certain Hindu groups. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) organized a public meeting on October 21, alleging that the event was showing disrespect to the ceremony typically conducted in Hindu temples, particularly those venerating Goddess Saraswathy.
Subsequently, the RSS joined the protest, with its leader, Valsan Thillankary, raising concerns about the registration form for the event. He opposed the provision that allowed parents to choose the initial words for their children, which included options like “Harisree Ganapathaye Nama” (We salute you, oh Lord Ganapathy), “Allahu Akbar” (God is great), and “Yesuve Stuti” (Glory to Jesus).
Mattannur resident Mahadevan took the matter to the Kerala High Court, arguing that the event compelled children to write and recite prayers that contradicted their religious beliefs. However, the organizers contended that the library committee had been conducting the program with the aim of enabling people to participate in the Vidyarambham ceremony in a secular and inclusive manner, offering multiple prayer choices to parents and assuring that no specific prayer would be imposed on any child.
The High Court’s dismissal of the petition emphasized that the event’s notification made it clear that parents could freely select any prayer for their child. Recognizing India’s religious diversity, the court affirmed that the event respects individual choices made by parents and differences in belief.
Ramesh Babu concluded, “Despite the controversy and significant protests, the program received substantial support from individuals with a secular mindset.”
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