The BJP on Monday warned the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) against “provoking” the party over a controversy surrounding a school question on Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar. BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the party would not remain silent if there were attempts to alter historical narratives or introduce what he described as a “conspiracy-driven narrative” into the state’s education system. His remarks have further sharpened the political confrontation between the BJP and IUML in Kerala, with the dispute also unfolding alongside a separate controversy over Vande Mataram.

Chandrasekhar said the IUML should not interfere in matters concerning Savarkar, whom he described as an important figure in India’s freedom struggle. “Don’t provoke us,” he said, according to PTI. The BJP state president also took to X to defend Savarkar and criticised the Muslim League over its objections to the way the freedom fighter was referred to in the disputed school question. His comments came after a teacher was suspended in connection with the controversy.

“Every child in Keralam knows #VeerSavarkar ji and his immense sacrifices for India’s freedom,” Chandrasekhar wrote on X. He further said that if the Muslim League did not approve of references to Savarkar, its members were free to read books about Tipu Sultan. However, he warned that the BJP would oppose any attempt to alter history or establish what he called a “conspiracy-driven narrative” in Kerala’s education sector. Chandrasekhar said he was making the warning with full responsibility.

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The controversy was triggered by a question included in a quiz conducted at a school in Kerala. The question referred to Savarkar in the context of the punishment he received from the British. The wording drew criticism and subsequently led to disciplinary action against the teacher associated with the quiz. The state education authorities clarified that the programme was not part of the official curriculum and had not been authorised by the department. The action against the teacher has since become a political issue, with the BJP questioning what it sees as an attempt to create a dispute around Savarkar’s historical role.

The BJP has argued that Savarkar’s contribution and place in India’s freedom movement cannot simply be removed from historical discussion because of disagreements over his political ideology or legacy. Chandrasekhar maintained that young people in Kerala should be aware of Savarkar and his role in the freedom struggle. His remarks also sought to turn the controversy into a broader debate over the teaching of history in schools and the influence of political organisations on educational narratives.

The IUML has been critical of the portrayal of Savarkar in the disputed question, contributing to a wider exchange between the BJP and the Muslim League in Kerala. The BJP’s response has focused on defending Savarkar while accusing its opponents of seeking to shape historical narratives for political purposes. The dispute has also highlighted the continuing differences between the BJP and the Congress-led political alliance in the state, of which the IUML is an important constituent. The competing interpretations of Savarkar’s legacy have therefore taken on significance beyond the original school quiz.

The Savarkar controversy has also coincided with a separate political dispute over Vande Mataram in Kerala. The BJP has increasingly linked questions about the national song, historical figures and the presentation of India’s freedom movement to a wider argument over nationalism. Chandrasekhar’s latest warning reflects the party’s decision to confront the IUML directly over these issues. With both sides maintaining sharply different positions, the dispute is likely to remain part of Kerala’s political debate, particularly over education, historical representation and national identity.

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