Kerala Education Minister doesn't want boys and girls to share seats

Thiruvananthapuram: A controversy has been triggered with Kerala Education Minister PK Abu Rabb making a statement, that he does not approve of boys and girls sitting together in an educational institution.

Such a statement was unexpected from the minister of a state, which is considered India's most literate state.As per newspaper reports, as a reaction to the allegations of "gender-segregation" in Kozhikode's Farook College, PK Abu Rabb said that he as a minister and at a personal level, does not approve of boys and girls sitting together. But it is ok if they are on different chairs as Kerala does not have a culture of boys and girls sitting together.

Last month, An undergraduate student Dinu K, was suspended from the Farook college for allegedly not submitting a written apology after he was seen sitting in mixed group, whereas the rest of the students in the group had already apologised. Dinu refused to do the same as he felt that he had not committed any crime.

There are different opinions flowing from the college regarding this statement, with some holding marches in support of the college management, others including the civil society, taking to the streets in protest against the college decision.

Kerala High Court has ordered a freeze on the suspension for a month. As per the minister, the college management has said that the parents of students studying in the college appreciate the distance between boys and girls being maintained.

A lecturer in Malappuram was suspended after he was found supporting the Facebook comments which the students of Farooq College who are protesting against the gender discrimination has made.