Abhaya case: 2 priests, nun held

 
Fr. Thomas Kottur, first accused.

 
Fr. Jose Puthurukkayil, second accused

 
Sr. Stephy, third accused.

Kochi: Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate P.D. Soman on Wednesday remanded two Catholic priests and a nun who were arrested in the Sr. Abhaya murder case in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till December 2.

According to a report filed by the CBI before the court, Fr. Thomas Kottur, Fr. Jose Puthurukkayil and Sr. Stephy are accused number 1, 2, and 3 respectively in the case.

The report said the first and second accused were arrested between 5 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. on November 18 and the third on November 19.

The report, seeking custody of the accused, said that in order to unearth ‘incriminating evidence’ from the three and to find out the involvement of others and for the reconstruction of the scene of the crime, interrogation of the accused was essential.  more

All is not well with the curriculum reform in Kerala.

Failing to deliver

R. KRISHNAKUMAR
in Thiruvananthapuram

An expert committee review suggests that all is not well with the decade-long school curriculum reform in Kerala.

S. GOPAKUMAR 
 
K.N. Panikkar, Vice-Chairman of the Kerala State Higher Education Council, handing over the report of the Expert Committee on Textbook Review to Education Minister M.A. Baby on October 7.

THE report of the Expert Committee on Textbook Review is a revealing commentary on the gap between theory and practice in the making of the curriculum, syllabi and textbooks and in the training of teachers in Kerala under an ambitious teaching reform programme introduced in State schools from 1997. The findings of the 18-member group of academicians led by the Vice-Chairman of the Kerala State Higher Education Council, Dr. K.N. Panikkar, is, however, an unexpected outcome of the bitter political controversy and related violence that rocked the State recently over the contents of a few new schoolbooks, among them a social science textbook for Standard VII (“A lesson to learn”, Frontline, July 8, 2008).  more

Malayalam denied of classical status

Front Page    The Hindu, Friday, Nov 07, 2008 

Governor to take up Malayalam’s case

Special Correspondent

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Gavai says Malayalam has a rich tradition

VS seeks support for research into literature

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Governor R.S. Gavai has said it was unfortunate that the Centre did not declare Malayalam as a classical language when that status was accorded last week to Kannada and Telugu.

Inaugurating ‘Ezhuthuvilakku,’ a State-level literary workshop for young writers organised by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi here on Thursday, Mr. Gavai said he would, in his capacity as the Governor of the State, take up the matter in an appropriate manner with the Union government. He said Malayalam had a rich literary tradition.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who presided over the function, urged the Union government to provide its support for research into various aspects of literature in all languages in the country. He said Malayalam should receive the same consideration as Kannada and Telugu got in this respect.  more 

Bishop John Thattumkal and Adoption Controversy

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