Nava Kerala Sadas: Children are not 'cheer girls', says High Court

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday asked why children were made to stand on the road like cheer girls to greet the Chief Minister and other ministers as part of the Nava Kerala Sadas. The court also criticised that some people were having more devotion to the king than the king himself. Justice Devan Ramachandran said that inviting children to a program and making them objects of spectacle are two different things.

The court was considering the petition filed by MSF state president PK Nawaz against the order issued by the Malappuram District Deputy Education Director seeking the release of school students for the Nava Kerala Sadas. Although the Additional Advocate General said that the order was withdrawn on November 20, the petitioner said that a similar incident took place the other day.

The government clarified that it had contacted the concerned headmaster seeking an explanation and said it would take appropriate action upon receiving the response. The court inquired as to why no action was taken against the deputy director. It also directed that such incidents should not be repeated.