Express News Service By

ALAPPUZHA: PWD Minister G Sudhakaran on Sunday said the common practice of lighting the traditional lamp( Nilavilakku) at government functions and chanting of hymns during school Assembly must be discontinued.

It was while addressing the CPM-sponsored ‘Namukku Jathiyilla’ (we are not caste-driven) public meeting at Muthukulam in Alappuzha on Saturday evening that the minister bared his soul on the issue. Incidentally, G Sudhakaran’s ire was directed at the hymns chanted by a particular religion, besides the lighting of the lamp.

“Our schools must publicly declare that they do not believe in caste divisions. Recently I was witness to a girl saying a prayer extolling the physical beauty of a goddess at a school function. It is not fair. The government does not subsribe to any particular caste or religion. But lighting the traditional lamp and reciting the prayer are a common practice at government functions. It is a shame. I won’t support it,” Sudhakaran said.