Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 10 (ANI): The row between Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar and state Education Minister V Sivankutty once again came to the fore after he was absent from the First Aid Education launch event.

Arlekar attended the state-level inauguration of the Niramaya scheme on Thursday by the First Aid Council of India in Thiruvananthapuram. The event marked the launch of Kerala's state-first aid education program, which aims to promote first aid training and education across the state.

Governor Arlekar expressed pride in the initiative, stating that Kerala is taking a significant step towards promoting first aid education.

He highlighted the importance of first aid training, especially on auspicious days like Guru Purnima, emphasising the need for community involvement in healthcare.

'Today is an auspicious day of Guru Purnima...We are launching our Kerala state First Aid education...Here we have the President and CEO of the First Aid Council of India, as well as any government representatives present here and others.... I am proud that such an initiative is being taken in our state of Kerala...,' said Arlekar.

The Niramaya scheme is part of a broader effort to promote first aid education and training in Kerala's schools and communities.

'And on this very occasion, an auspicious occasion, we are launching, our Kerala state is launching a first of its kind and education throughout the state. That is first aid education in our schools, in our higher secondaries and probably in our universities too. ', the Governor added.

By incorporating first aid into school curricula, the state aims to equip students with life-saving skills and promote a culture of safety and emergency preparedness.

The Governor emphasised the importance of first aid education, sharing his personal experiences of witnessing accidents and realising the need for first aid knowledge.

'I recall when I was in school and we went on an excursion. At that time, we faced an incident. And one boy had to be given some medicine. But our teacher had no first aid box. And that's when we learned about first aid, which is to be administered at that time. When we returned to school the next day, there was a minor issue in the staff room. There were discussions. Why couldn't the first aid be given to that particular boy during yesterday's incident? From that day onward, the school management took note and announced that everyone, in every school, and everywhere, had to carry a first aid box. That was the only thing. But we never knew what the first aid box was. We could just see. We had never touched even that. Things happened the same way after we joined the colleges. Universities. Nothing could have been done better.', the Governor recalled.

He congratulated the Directorate of Health Services and the Directorate of Education for their collaboration in introducing this facility in the state.

'I congratulate all the people of Kerala, particularly the Directorate of Health Services and the Directorate of Education, for incorporating themselves. They have come together to establish such a facility, the first of its kind in the country, in our state. It is essential to understand what first aid means. The booklet itself will tell us. It is also in English and Malayalam. So we can read and understand. We will be able to tell others what this means. This curriculum should start from the standards, preferably in the fifth grade, and continue through to the university level. If we do not have any knowledge of first aid, there is no point in having and teaching the curriculum in our classrooms.'

However, at the time of the booklet launch at the event, Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty was not present.

According to the Education Minister's Office, the state minister was attending the state Cabinet meeting today, and this event was not listed in the minister's schedule.

The tension between Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar and Education Minister V Sivankutty didn't start with the First Aid Education launch event, where Sivankutty was notably absent.

Instead, it escalated from a previous incident where Sivankutty walked out of a Raj Bhavan event due to the display of a Bharat Mata portrait, which he associated with the RSS.

The controversy began when Sivankutty objected to the display of the Bharat Mata portrait during a certificate distribution ceremony for Scouts and Guides at Raj Bhavan. He saw this as an attempt to impose ideological rigidity and violate the secular character of government programs.

Sivankutty walked out of the event, criticising the Governor for allowing the display. Raj Bhavan responded by condemning Sivankutty's actions as a breach of protocol and disrespect towards the Governor's office. (ANI)