KOCHI: Kerala's education department sent a circular to woman teachers to turn up at a function in a saree and green blouse, inviting allegations that the colour reflected the minister's party flag. The circular was cancelled late in the evening. The Ernakulam district official who issued it was placed under suspension. The education portfolio in the Congress-led government is handled by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) member P K Abdu Rabb. Green is the official colour of the IUML.

The circular was issued by the Ernakulam Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) District Project Officer K M Aliyaar to 15 units in the district ahead of a function Tuesday. The function for handing over funds to the various SSA centres would be presided over by Rabb and three other ministers. Each centre will be represented by four teachers and in all 60 teachers were issued the controversial dress code. Vellapally Natesan, general secretary of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, a social organisation, earlier demanded that the circular be cancelled. "Who does not know that green is the official colour of the IUML," he asked. Kerala School Teachers Association leader Shahjahan called the dress code unfortunate.