Protests Grow Over Shift of State School Sports Meet from Kannur to Kozhikode

Thiruvananthapuram: Strong protests are brewing within the UDF over the decision to shift the venue of the State School Sports Meet from Kannur to Kozhikode.

At the closing ceremony of last year’s State School Sports Meet held in Thiruvananthapuram in October, former Education Minister V Sivankutty had officially announced that the next edition would be held in Kannur. The sports meet flag was subsequently handed over to Kannur District Panchayat President Adv Binoy Kurian and DDE Shiny.

However, Sports Minister O J Janish’s explanation that the venue was changed because Kannur lacked the necessary facilities has triggered controversy. The minister said Kozhikode had better facilities and that the decision was taken to ensure better arrangements for students and organisers.

Education Minister N Shamsudheen, however, said both Kannur and Kozhikode had the facilities required to host the sports meet. He also said he was unaware of the earlier decision to hold the event in Kannur. This has intensified criticism that different positions are emerging within the government itself over the change of venue.

Congress MLA T O Mohanan also disagreed with the claim that Kannur lacked adequate facilities. He pointed out that Kannur had successfully hosted the state sports meet in the past and demanded that the district be considered for next year’s event.

Based on the earlier announcement that the sports meet would be held in Kannur, the local administration had already begun preliminary preparations. However, the venue has now been shifted to Kozhikode without any official communication in the meantime.

Kannur District Panchayat President Adv Binoy Kurian said no official notification regarding the change of venue had been received and that preparations for hosting the sports meet had already begun in Kannur.

Binoy Kurian said the government’s unexpected decision had left people in Kannur deeply disappointed. He demanded that the government clearly explain the circumstances that led to the change of venue.

He also pointed out that Kannur has the basic infrastructure required to host the sports meet and that the district had successfully conducted state-level sports meets in the past.

Former Education Minister V Sivankutty has also alleged that there is a mystery surrounding the change of venue. He demanded that the government explain why the meet, which had been decided to be held in Kannur, was shifted to Kozhikode.

This year’s State School Sports Meet will be held at the NIT ground in Kozhikode from October 24 to 29. Protests are intensifying among various elected representatives of the UDF over the decision to exclude Kannur despite its earlier official selection as the venue.