Kerala Education Department probes quiz question regarding V. D. Savarkar

A political controversy has erupted in Kerala following a school quiz in the Kasaragod, Kumbla, and Manjeshwar sub-districts that portrayed Hindutva ideologue V. D. Savarkar as a freedom fighter. The 'Freedom Quiz,' held on August 6 for lower primary students, included a tie-breaker question asking, “Who is the freedom fighter that received the most severe punishment from the British?” with Savarkar listed as the answer.

Kerala General Education Minister N. Shamsudheen has ordered a formal inquiry, noting that the quiz was not part of the official education department or Social Science Club activity calendars. One teacher, Guru Prasad, has been suspended pending the investigation. The department is also examining whether artificial intelligence was used to generate the questionnaire.

Political groups have responded sharply. Left-affiliated organizations, including the SFI and DYFI, accused the Congress-led UDF government of allowing the 'Sangh Parivar agenda' to influence the curriculum and attempting to rewrite history. Conversely, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) defended Savarkar's legacy, questioning the backlash against his historic imprisonment in the Cellular Jail.