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CM's tome delays printing of school text-books

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

The Kerala government's eagerness to publish a tome written by Chief Minister E K Nayanar in time for the government's third anniversary has delayed printing of school text-books. Almost a month after the schools reopened in the state, text-books for standard five and six are still not available in the market.

The Audiovisual and Reprographic Centre, which was entrusted the task of printing the text-books, was asked to suspend the work mid-way and take up the 1,150-page work of Nayanar.

The book was published by the government's public relations department at a cost of Rs 1.7 million. The sum was part of the millions the government has spent in organising exhibitions, seminars, symposia to mark its third anniversary.

The opposition, however, was quick to dub the celebrations as the ruling Left Democratic Front's poll campaign for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The government's attempt to salvage the situation after the anniversary celebrations had ended, too has not been successful.

The already overburdened government presses which were approached to take up the work have sought at least two months' time to deliver the text-books. This would practically mean that standard five and six students would go without books for the entire first term

The government is now desperately trying to get the work done by private presses. However, according to sources, the printing has not started so far.

This is not the first time that the Communist Party of India-Marxist)-led LDF government has landed itself in a controversy over 'using' official machinery for promoting the party and its leaders.

A government directive to the local bodies to buy the complete works of late E M S Namboodiripad had raised a lot of dust. The EMS Memorial Fund too had run into a controversy following allegations of coercion during collection of donations.

The state government's recent attempt to acquire a portion of the 133-year-old Kerala University College land has drawn flak from various quarters, including Left sympathisers.

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