Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday accused the UDF and BJP of politicising the recent fatal electrocution of a 13-year-old boy at his school in Kollam district. Mithun, a student of Thevalakkara Boys High School, was electrocuted when he touched a live electric wire on the school campus on Thursday.
Taking potshots at the Left government, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar charged that Kerala's education system "was collapsing, just like its healthcare system".
He also charged that the boy's death was caused by "wilful negligence that amounts to manslaughter".
"This is not a one-off incident. Infrastructure of Kerala schools is in shambles, with nothing better than skeleton facilities… a grim reflection of a rotten education system," said Chandrasekhar.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader further contended that the panchayat, school, and KSEB officials were at fault and they should be arrested on the grounds of culpable homicide.
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Meanwhile, it was a tragic scene at Mithun's residence as his mother totally lost her cool and witnessed the dead body of her son when his body was being taken to that location.
She was working abroad and reached Kerala in the early hours of Saturday morning. Subsequently, she was seen holding on to her younger son tightly as she sat beside the body of her older son.
Thousands of citizens gathered at the school and his house, where the body was laid on public display for the citizens to offer their tributes. The body was cremated around 4.30 pm.
Earlier in the day, Sivankutty accused Congress-led UDF and BJP workers of hoisting black flags and blocking the ministers' cars while they were going to pay their respects to the boy's family in an attempt to "derive political mileage" from the tragedy.
The activists demonstrated by instantly standing in front of the ministers' vehicles "to make martyrs" in anticipation of the state assembly elections to be conducted.
"This is not a right way," he said and asked whether any of those parties holding up the black flags have pledged or given any money to the mourning family.
The minister declared that the Kerala School Teachers Association (KSTA) has promised the family of the boy ₹10 lakh of financial assistance, the state electricity board (KSEB) provided them with ₹5 lakh and the General Education Department intends to build a house for them at an estimated cost of ₹20 lakh.
The government will also give them ₹three lakh to cover any urgent expenses, he further added.
"Have such decisions ever been taken within 48 hours of an incident? Were investigations ever carried out within 48 hours of an incident, and action taken to resolve the matter? It has never happened in the past.
"So, instead of being grateful, why are black flags being shown to the ministers? Those waving black flags, have they shown any support to the family?" he asked.
He stated that he did not go to the house of the boy on the day of the accident because he did not want any trouble at his home in his presence.
"The CPI(M) and LDF support base in the state is so entrenched that their leaders and ministers don't have to be put off from visiting any locality in Kerala," Sivankutty claimed.
In regard to the electrocution of the boy, the minister added that if there was any negligence on the part of the school administration, strict action would be initiated against them without exception.
"No responsible person concerned with the incident will be spared. That is the stance of the chief minister too," he asserted.
The headmistress of the institution was suspended on Friday.
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