AN Shamseer need not apologise or withdraw comment, says MV Govindan; slams Congress

Thiruvananthapuram: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Kerala state secretary, MV Govindan, asserted on Wednesday that state Assembly speaker, AN Shamseer, need not apologise or withdraw his comments on the union government mixing myths and science in education. Govindan dismissed the controversy as a politically motivated move aimed at the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

During a press conference, Govindan reiterated the party's unwavering support to Thalassery MLA, Shamseer, despite protests organised by the BJP, Sangh Parivar organisations, and the Nair Service Society (NSS). A group of NSS workers visited Lord Ganesha temples as part of their demonstration on Wednesday. The BJP has also held several marches against Shamseer.

The controversy stems from Shamseer's remarks during a program at a school in Ernakulam on July 21, where he criticised the union government for promoting Hindu myths as scientific achievements from ancient times. He cited an example of the prime minister mentioning Lord Ganesha as the first person on whom plastic surgery was attempted. The speaker said the government was promoting these through the educational system of the country.

In the press meet, Govindan further criticised the opposition Congress for their stance on the matter. He pointed out that MP Shashi Tharoor had made similar comments in the past, and even Jawaharlal Nehru had spoken in a similar line. He questioned the response of Congress leader Satheesan to those statements.

Opposition Leader in the Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan, former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal have expressed their disagreement with Shamseer's comments and called for him to retract them. Chennithala emphasised that the Congress party always stands with believers.

“We must be cautious against attempts to polarise people based on interpretations of Shamseer's speech. The CPM does not stand against any religion or religious individuals. There has been ongoing propaganda claiming that the CPM is against religious beliefs, which is unfounded. Both believers and non-believers have the right to coexist and participate in societal activities. CPM has the biggest number of believers in Kerala,” Govindan said. 

It is essential not to use faith as a means to overshadow scientific advancements. This does not imply that people should abandon their beliefs, but criticism should not be used to propagate hostility against Hindus or any other faiths, clarified the CPM state secretary.