We want all-party meet on book issue: Chennithala

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 5: The Congress in Kerala today asked the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government to convene an all- party meeting to find a solution to the controversial text book issue after withdrawing it.

Addressing the media here, KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala said the Congress was not ready for any compromise on the ongoing agitation against the book and not willing for any talks without the government withdrawing the controversial book.

He claimed people, irrespective of religion, in the state were against the book.

Stating the Congress had no confidence in the Committee appointed by the government to look into the complaints against the book, he alleged the committee was functioning with preconceived notions.

The KPCC Chief said the Congress would continue to hold agitations till the book was withdrawn.

The party would organise a public meeting at Kochi on July 6 and public campaign on July 8 here, besides meetings in all districts.

On the reported statements by Education Minister M A Baby during a press conference in Delhi that Union Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh had expressed surprise about the Congress' agitation against the book, he said, ''it was contradictory to the facts.'' The KPCC Chief said he met Mr Singh immediately after the meeting with Mr Baby when the Union Minister told him it was a state affair.

The Congress and its youth and students' wings started holding agitations against the Class VII textbook alleging the CPI(M) was trying to propagate it's ideologies to students.

UNI