Thiruvananthapuram: With a controversy erupting over a state government order mandating its employees to take prior permission for pursuing artistic endeavours, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday said he would examine and modify it if needed.
Government employees, who described the recent order as an infringement on their creative independence, took out a march to the Secretariat this evening, having covered their mouths with black ribbons. The march was taken out by the Joint Council of State Service Organisations. Chandy said the order existed earlier as well. "It has been there for years. But we will examine it and if there is need to modify it, will do the same," he told reporters here when asked about the controversial diktat.
Information Minister K C Joseph also said the government will examine it. "Government will not take any steps to crush the creative freedom of employees. We will examine it," he said in Kottayam.
As per the order issued by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, government employees who wish to publish a book will have to give in writing the details about the publisher, the persons who write the preface, besides the price of the book.
Curbs have also been laid on publishing of essays, writing research papers, being part of news and feature programmes in television channels, private radio programmes, game shows, film programmes, televised sports competitions, amateur drama.
Prior clearance should also be obtained for reading news or participating in television debates other than in Doordarshan and Akashvani. The order also makes it mandatory for the employees to give an affidavit stating that there was no anti-national content and criticism of government's policies in the book.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and Marxist veteran V S Achutanandan, described the government curbs as "cultural fascism" and said the order was reminiscent of emergency days and should be immediately withdrawn.
Hitting out at the Chief Minister, Achutanandan said the order showed that he (Chandy) was a follower of Sangh parivar, which allegedly stands for "personification of cultural fascism".
The Joint Council of State Service Organisations sought recall of the order, which it said was to control the creative independence of government employees.
"The Constitution has given its citizen this freedom which is being curbed by a government order, aimed at controlling freedom of expression," council Chairman G Motilal and General Secretary S Vijaykumar Nair said.
