Green blouse makes IUML opponents see red

Thiruvananthapuram Kerala is witnessing a political row over the colour green. The controversy was sparked by an education department circular that asked teachers to come dressed in green blouse and the traditional off-white sari for a public rally at Eloor on Tuesday, for a function of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, or the universal education programme.

Suspicion was cast on the circular because of the fact that green is the prominent colour in the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) flag, and the Legue, which is a key constituent of Kerala’s ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) government, handles the education ministry.

The circular sparked opposition,and was called off on Monday evening. The official who was behind the circular was placed suspended. However, even these measures failed to silence the critics of the IUML who believe the party is pulling more than its weight in the UDF ministry, and is having its way on every issue. Among those who criticised the circular was the Kerala School Teachers’ Association.

Meanwhile, there is speculation whether the project officer who was suspended for issuing the circular had signed it. The inaugural programme was also postponed.

IUML leader and education minister PK Abdu Rabb, said the circular had been issued without government’s knowledge, and he would inquire whether there was a conspiracy behind it.

The IUML has been the target of attack by opposition parties on various issues, including a few months back when the Oommen Chandy’s government was discussing the issue of offering the party a fifth ministerial post.

Another long-standing controversy has been regarding the refusal of some IUML leaders to inaugurate public functions by adopting the traditional way of lighting a lamp. Rabb said he could not say at this moment whether or not he would light lamps to inaugurate functions in future, adding that this was not the regular style of IUML leaders.

The controversy over the green blouse comes even as the Nair Service Society and the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam are opposing many decisions of the state government, arguing that they are intended at pleasing the IUML.