Student felicitation row: Former Kerala minister lands in trouble as rights body registers case

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Monday registered a suo motu case against CPM leader and former Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel over the alleged public humiliation of students during a felicitation function in Palakkad.

According to a statement issued by the commission, the action was initiated after it took note of television visuals showing Jaleel's interaction with students at the event.

The incident occurred during a programme organised in Mannarkkad, Palakkad, to felicitate Class 10 students who had secured A-plus grades from various municipal wards.

The commission said Chairperson K.V. Manoj Kumar registered the case after observing that Jaleel's conduct had allegedly caused mental distress to the children.

In the visuals, Jaleel was seen asking students who had secured A-plus grades whether they knew the alphabet. He also pulled a student's ear after calling the child onto the stage over an error in writing an address.

Earlier, the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) demanded legal action against Jaleel, alleging that he had publicly humiliated the students and describing his behaviour as unacceptable.

Kerala Minister for Women and Child Development Bindu Krishna welcomed the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights' decision to register a suo motu case against K.T. Jaleel.

The minister said the government would initiate strong follow-up action after receiving the commission's report. She added that behaviour which causes mental distress to children in a public setting is unacceptable. Bindu Krishna also said the CPM should take responsibility for correcting Jaleel if he is unwilling to acknowledge his own mistakes.