Opposition walkout over Minister's remarks about Hindu gods

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 16 (UNI) The Congress-led Opposition staged a walkout in the Kerala Assembly today protesting against a remark by Electricity Minister A K Balan about Hindu Gods which, they said had hurt the sentiments of believers.

Even though Mr Balan withdrew the remarks, Opposition members walked out of the House, demanding an apology from him.

Mr Balan made the remarks immediately after Education Minister M A Baby replied to a submission by Mr K C Venugopal on sex education to school students in the state.

Later, Congress Legislature Party Deputy Leader G Karthikeyan told mediapersons that the Opposition would not cooperate with Mr Balan in the Assembly until he apologised for the ''deliberate'' remarks he made in the House.

Mr Balan had hurt the sentiments of believers by making the remarks and wanted to know the stand of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government on the issue, he said.

Raising the submission, Mr Venugopal said that the modules prepared for the sex education programme for school students were not suited to Kerala's culture and they could not be taught.

Replying to the submission, Mr Baby said the modules were prepared by the Union Human Resources Development Ministry and they would be implemented in schools in the state only after necessary modifications.

UNI