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Kerala: When a Brahmin Arabic teacher fought for her right to teach

THRISSUR: Gopalika Antharjanam, a Nambudiri Brahmin, from the not-so rich Bhatti Thekkedath Mana near Kunnamkulam joined an Arabic course way back in 1980, primarily because of her love to learn a new language, and considering employment avenues. After marriage, she decided to take up teaching Arabic as a career.

But she was hardly prepared for what followed.


Gopalika had by then moved to her husband’s house at Chemmaniyode, near Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district, and first got an appointment as Arabic teacher on a leave vacancy at CAM LP School near Manjeri in 1982. “However, after five or six days, the headmaster of the school asked me to meet the manager of the school before coming to school the next day. Even though the aided school was being run by Hindus, the manager said local residents in that Muslim-dominated area were objecting to the appointment of a Brahmin to teach Arabic. He asked me not to come to school from next day,’’ Gopalika told TOI.

According to her, none of the residents personally protested against her taking up the job of Arabic teacher; they merely communicated their resentment to the school authorities. But Goplaika was not willing to give up without a fight. She made it a public issue and reports of her termination appeared in the media. More importantly, a case was filed in Kerala high court against denial of a teaching job to a person on religious grounds. The high court eventually ruled in favour of Antharjanam.

Despite the HC verdict, things weren't rosy. Gopalika could not return to the same school. The vacancy itself ceased to exist as the teacher who had gone on a long leave for taking up an assignment in the Gulf was asked to return by local residents. “He resumed duty, and I lost the job, but he could not go back to the Gulf for some reason," she recalled. She could get employment again only in 1986 and managed a permanent post as Arabic teacher only after the government decided to recruit her through special recruitment rules in 1989. Later, she took a transfer to Chemmaniyode GLP School in 1998 near her husband’s house. She worked in that school for about 19 years and retired in March 2016. Interestingly, two other Brahmin girls who had learnt Arabic with her years ago as a student also took up careers as Arabic teachers. Both of them too have since retired.

Gopalika has, of course, heard of Feroze Khan, who was appointed assistant professor of Sanskrit in BHU but couldn't take it up because of protests. She however, said she was not aware of the details. “But I think all of us have the right to study and teach any language we like, irrespective of our religious upbringing. He has to fight his case. I have gone through a similar situation and could assert my right to learn and teach the language of my choice,’’ she said.

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