Vasudevan Sivankutty (born 10 November 1954) is an Indian politician,currently serving as the Minister for General Education and Labour,[1] Government of Kerala. He represents the Nemom Constituency in the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Sivankutty entered politics through the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and has held positions such as its District President,State President,District Secretary,State Secretary and All India Joint Secretary. From SFI,he joined the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU),and currently holds positions such as its State Secretary and District President.[2]
He was the President of the erstwhile Ulloor Panchayat,the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation,the Joint Secretary of the All India Mayors’Council,the MLA of Thiruvananthapuram East and then Nemom (2011 - 2016).[3]
In the recently concluded Kerala Assembly Elections,he defeated BJP's Kummanam Rajasekharan and K. Muraleedharan to become the MLA of Nemom again (2021–Present). He is currently a Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF cabinet,handling portfolios of General Education and Labour.[4][5] The other departments under him right now are Literacy Movement,Employment and Training,Skills,Rehabilitation,Factories and Boilers,Insurance Medical Service,Industrial Tribunals,and Labour Courts.
Controversies
2015 Budget Presentation Ruckus
The Assembly witnessed ugly scenes after the Opposition MLAs attempted to prevent the Finance Minister from presenting the budget. His photos were so familiar leading the protest with the cable,sound system and monitor. Sivankutty was the major leader who opposed and created panic in assembly. Other accused in the case are minister K T Jaleel,E P Jayarajan,C K Sadasivan,K Ajith and Kunhahamed Master.Violent legislators had toppled the Speaker’s chair and threw the microphones away. The House suffered damages worth 2 lakh in the incident. Charges against the accused include relevant section of Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act and IPC sections 447 (criminal trespass) and 427 (mischief causing damage).
The government moved the court based on a letter filed by V. Sivankutty. Several others,including Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala,had filed petition.[6]
2023 Ambulance incident
On 12 July 2023,a pilot vehicle in Sivankutty's convoy,driving on the wrong side of the road,crashed a police jeep onto the side of ambulance van. This led to the injury of three people (including the patient). The incident took place in Kottarakkara in Kollam district when a driver from the minister's convoy. Sivankutty reportedly stepped out of the vehicle for a few minutes,inspected van,then continued towards Thiruvananthapuram. The police was criticised by the victims for not intervening or filing an FIR.[7]
Personal life
Kerala Education minister V SIVANKUTTY SPEECH
Sivankutty was born as the son of activist M. Vasudevan and P. Krishnamma,at Cheruvakkal.
Sivankutty is married to writer,journalist and women's rights activist and former Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) member R. Parvathi Devi,who is the daughter of Marxist theorist P. Govinda Pillai.[8] They have one son,P. Govind Sivan,whi is currently a research student at Manipal University.[8]
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