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The Kerala School Sports & Games, meticulously planned and organized, faced a significant disruption during its closing ceremony in Kochi. Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty accused two schools, Navamukunda HSS, Thirunavaya, and Mar Basil HSS, Kothamangalam, of deliberately attempting to disrupt the event. The protest centered around the outcome of the best school (athletics) category, with the two schools challenging the victory of GV Raja Sports School.
The protesting schools demanded the stripping of GV Raja Sports School's prize and its award to them instead. Despite the Minister's assurance that their complaints would be seriously considered, the schools continued their disruptive behavior. They attempted to disrupt the function and assault volunteers, ignoring repeated pleas to cease their actions. The Minister expressed disappointment at the lack of cooperation from the protesting schools' representatives.
The incident raised concerns about the future of such events. The Minister highlighted the participation of 24,000 students in the games, while only 31 belonged to Navamukunda HSS and 76 to Mar Basil HSS. He condemned the attempted destruction of the games' reputation and announced a thorough examination of the incident by the General Education department. The Minister emphasized the need for respectful disagreement and cautioned that such disruptive protests would hinder the conduct of future events.
Source: Deliberate bid to disrupt valedictory of school games: Minister