Kerala Chief Secy speaks out against 'being labelled black'
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 26 (PTI): Kerala Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan has spoken out about the colour and gender bias she has faced and its continued presence in society, sparking a debate on social media with many people showing their support.
What prompted the Chief Secretary to ignite the social debate was a comment made by someone comparing her work with that of her husband and predecessor V Venu by saying "it is as black as my husband's was white."
Hurt by the comment, Muraleedharan had put up a Facebook post about it but later deleted it because she was "flustered by the flurry of responses".
"I am reposting it because certain well-wishers said that there were things that needed to be discussed. I agree. So here goes, once again," she said in her post, which garnered over 1,000 reactions and has been commented upon and shared hundreds of times.
In the FB post on Tuesday night, Muraleedharan also shared how she grew up feeling like she was worth less because of her dark skin. It was only later, with her children's help, that she realised black is "beautiful."
Speaking to a TV channel on Wednesday, she said that society needs to change its attitudes and overcome these biases. According to her, this change must begin at home and in schools.
She further said the comparison with her husband was "unexpected" and it was Venu who encouraged to put up her FB post against it again. "He is the one who gave me the courage to do so," she said.
She added that, being in government, she was in a better position to bring attention to the issue, which was another reason for speaking out.
She also felt that the comparison not only referred to her dark complexion but carried a "value connotation" about the current governance being "black". "Therefore, I thought that we need to 'call it out'," she told the channel.
While she refused to tell the channel who made the comparative comment, she said the individual has not responded subsequently.
She said that she was getting a lot of responses regarding her post, some asking why she was reacting, while some others sharing their similar experiences.
"Those who have not faced such a bias, think it is a small issue. But, it is a big deal for those who have faced it. It is something which has questioned their identity and worthiness," Muraleedharan said.
Her solution to the issue is to "turn it on its head" and to say -- "yes I am black. Black is seven times beautiful."
She said that she was aware of instances where dark-skinned people have not been considered for jobs, especially where personality is a requirement, "unless they show a great amount of oomph".
"So, just like the glass ceiling exists for women, there is colour bias or discrimination at various levels also," she said.
Muraleedharan said that, as per her nature, she gets hurt initially by such things, but for a short time and then she quickly forgets it. "That is why I am able to move forward in life," she added.
She also referred to the support she got from her children and how they helped to change how she saw herself.
"It is a great experience when your children give you the courage to express yourself. Many people have told me. I am happy that our younger generation has persons like these," she said.
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, shared her post with the comment -- "Salute dear Sarada Muraleedharan. Every word you have written is heart-touching. It deserves to be discussed. I too had a dark-skinned mother."
State General Education Minister V Sivankutty also backed Muraleedharan's "courageous response" and emphasised that discrimination based on skin colour has no place in a progressive Kerala.
In her FB post, she said that in the last seven months, since she replaced her husband as chief secretary, there has been a "relentless parade" of comparisons with him, and she had become "quite inured" to it.
"It was about being labelled black (with that quiet sub-text of being a woman), as if that were something to be desperately ashamed of. Black is as black does. Not just black the colour, but black the ne'er do good, black the malaise, the cold despotism, the heart of darkness," she said in her post.
She further questioned why black was vilified when it was the "all pervasive truth of the universe"..
The chief secretary also shared a childhood memory of her, as a four-year-old, asking her mother whether she could put her back in the womb and bring her out again "all white and pretty".
Growing up, it led to her feeling like a lesser person for not being fair, which had to be compensated somehow, she said in her post. But her children, who "gloried in their black heritage", changed her point of view.
"Till my children. Who gloried in their black heritage. Who kept finding beauty where I noticed none. Who thought that black was awesome. Who helped me see. That black is beautiful. That black is gorgeousness. That I dig black," she said.
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Punjab CM Mann calls twin blasts 'minor', blames BJP for creating atmosphere of fear
Chandigarh (PTI): Terming the twin blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar "minor", Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday targeted the BJP and said this was how the party was preparing for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
Two blasts occurred on Tuesday night, one outside the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier headquarters in Jalandhar at around 8 pm and another near the army cantonment area in Khasa, Amritsar, at around 11 pm.
The BJP wants to create an atmosphere of fear, Mann told reporters, adding that the party wanted to scare people into getting their votes. "BJP is a communal party. The assembly elections are over in West Bengal, and they (BJP) have said that now it is Punjab's turn, which indicates that these minor blasts are part of their preparation for the Punjab assembly elections," the chief minister said, adding that investigations are underway.
Mann further alleged that the BJP always sought to gain votes by inciting violence and intimidating the public.
"I urge the BJP to cease such tactics. Punjab is a peaceful state. We are the people who always seek the welfare of the world," Mann said while speaking to reporters in Anandpur Sahib after starting his four-day 'Shukrana Yatra' for the implementation of the anti-sacrilege law.
He claimed that the BJP had a penchant for stirring up trouble in states where it is contesting elections.
Noting the significance of the newly enacted anti-sacrilege law -- the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act, 2026 -- Mann stated that it counteracts the BJP's efforts to provoke conflict between communities.
"With the anti-sacrilege law in place, no one will engage in sacrilegious acts at their behest," he said, further alleging that the law contradicts the BJP's agenda.
Mann expressed concern regarding the BJP's tactics, saying, "The BJP claims it is ready for Punjab. Are they trying to scare people with these minor blasts to secure votes? Punjab has already experienced dark times in the past."
"This is the BJP's style of working. In every state where it contests elections, it instigates riots, carries out minor blasts, and divides people based on religion and caste. This demonstrates their preparation for Punjab," he further alleged.
Mann also noted that Punjab often plays a significant role whenever the country faces a crisis. He emphasised that peace, along with law and order, will be maintained at all costs.
Later, in a statement, Mann alleged that the bomb blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar were part of a deliberate strategy to destabilise the state after the passage of the anti-sacrilege law.
Drawing parallels with West Bengal, Mann alleged that the BJP "thrives on creating communal tension, panic and unrest in poll-bound states to polarise voters," but asserted that peace-loving Punjabis would never allow the saffron party to destroy the hard-earned harmony of Punjab for electoral gains.
He further alleged that the BJP was trying to create "unrest" in Punjab on the pattern of West Bengal ahead of elections, but the people of Punjab are politically aware and united against such conspiracies.
"Violence, divisiveness and communal tension are the patent of the BJP and an integral part of the saffron party's politics. BJP is trying to incite violence and fear in Punjab on the pattern of Bengal to win the ensuing polls. However, BJP's nefarious designs will never succeed in Punjab because anything can germinate on the fertile land of Punjab, but seeds of hatred can never grow here," the chief minister claimed.
Condemning the blasts in the state, Mann alleged such incidents reflected the BJP's "brand of politics", aimed at spreading terror and panic to polarise society and garner votes. "This divisive politics is being pursued by the BJP in every poll-bound state for electoral gains," he alleged.
Mann said those responsible for the blasts would soon be exposed and brought to justice. "All those involved in this heinous crime against humanity will be brought to book and put behind bars very soon. Strict punishment will be ensured for these people because the Punjab Government has zero tolerance for any activity that threatens the peace, safety and integrity of Punjab," he said.
In response to a question about the West Bengal assembly elections, Mann mentioned Mamata Banerjee's complaints regarding the looting of the electoral mandate. "The Election Commission is also facing accusations. It should clarify its stance, ensuring it is not one-sided," Mann added.
