Thiruvananthapuram| Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday alleged that the UDF and the BJP were using the recent tragic electrocution of a 13-year-old student at his school in Kollam district for political gains.
Mithun, a student at Thevalakkara Boys High School, died after coming into contact with a live electric wire on the school premises on Thursday.
Sivankutty claimed that activists of the Congress-led UDF and the BJP showed black flags and blocked vehicles of the ministers who were going to visit the boy's family in order to "derive political mileage" out of the incident.
He said that the activists protested by suddenly jumping in front of the ministers' vehicles "to create martyrs" in view of the upcoming elections in the state.
"This is not a right way," he said and questioned whether any of those groups showing the black flags have promised or provided any financial aid to the bereaved family.
The minister said that the Kerala School Teachers Association (KSTA) has promised Rs 10 lakh financial assistance to the boy's family, the state electricity board (KSEB) handed over Rs 5 lakh to them and the General Education Department intends to build them a house at a cost of around Rs 20 lakh.
The government will also provide them Rs three lakh to handle any immediate expenses, he 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 steps taken to resolve the issue? It has never happened in the past.
"So, instead of appreciating it, why are black flags being shown to the ministers? Those who are showing the black flags, have they promised any help to the family?" he asked.
The minister also said that he did not go to the boy's home on the day of the incident as he wanted to avoid any conflict there due to his presence.
"The CPI(M) and LDF support base is so strong in the state that its leaders and ministers need not be deterred from visiting any place in Kerala," Sivankutty asserted.
Referring to the boy's electrocution, the minister said that if there was any failure on the part of the school management, strict action would be taken against them without any exception.
"No one who is responsible for the incident would be spared. That is the stand of the chief minister also," he said.
The headmistress of the institution was suspended on Friday.
