Amid Raj Bhavan tensions, Kerala adds lesson on Governor’s powers to class 10 textbook

Thiruvananthapuram: A new chapter detailing the constitutional powers of the Governor has been introduced in Kerala’s Class 10 Social Science curriculum, Education Minister V. Sivankutty announced on Friday. The addition comes amid ongoing tensions between the state government and Raj Bhavan.

The lesson has been included in the second volume of the textbook under the chapter titled “Democracy: An Indian Experience.” According to Sivankutty, the content will cover the “responsibilities, rights and duties of the Governor,” along with other significant topics such as the Emergency period and the Supreme Court’s verdict striking down the electoral bonds scheme.

"This will be included in the second volume of the Social Science textbook under the chapter, Democracy an Indian Experience," the minister said. He added, “The textbooks will reach the students very soon.”

Political backdrop

The move follows a recent announcement by the minister in June, shortly after he walked out of an official event at the Governor’s residence. The protest was in response to the display of a Bharat Mata image stylised in the manner of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a depiction the state government found objectionable.

The incident further fuelled the already strained relationship between the Left-led Kerala government and the Governor’s office. During a separate event on World Environment Day, State Agriculture Minister P. Prasad also chose to skip a Raj Bhavan function due to the presence of the same controversial image. In response, the government organised a parallel event at the state Secretariat to avoid further conflict.

Tensions between the state and Raj Bhavan are not new. When Rajendra Arlekar’s predecessor, Arif Mohammed Khan, held the Governor’s post, he frequently clashed with state ministers and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. On multiple occasions, interactions between the Governor and the cabinet were reduced to cold formality, with leaders refraining from even basic courtesies at shared events. Notably, no cabinet minister, including the chief minister, was present to see Khan off when he departed Kerala to take over as Governor of Bihar. IANS