The Nair Service Society (NSS) is observing 2 August as ‘Faith Protection Day’, to protest against Kerala Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer’s remarks on Lord Ganesha at an event in a government school in Ernakulam.

It has asked all its members to visit Ganesha temples today.

G Sukumaran Nair, the general secretary of the organisation said that Shamseer’s remarks had crossed all limits and could not be justified.

Further, he said that faith is above science and Shamseer should apologise or the state government should take action against him.

Shamseer said, “When a question is being asked about plastic surgery, they (referring to exams conducted by the education department under the central government) expect us to answer that the first person to conduct the plastic surgery was Ganapati (Lord Ganesha), who possesses the body of a human being and the face of an elephant. They say ‘Kauravas’ are born through IVF treatment. During the times of Artificial Intelligence, our young children are expected to learn such myths that are unscientific and do not impart a scientific temperament.”

He also made similar remarks with regards to the pushpaka vimana used by Ravana, saying that they wanted students to believe it was the first aircraft, instead of teaching them about the Wright brothers.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hindu Aikyavedi have also protested against the remarks and said that it was untenable for him to continue in his position. They also said that Shamseer had selectively targeted Hinduism and did not speak about other religions.

The CPI(M) has stood by Shamseer and said that he need not apologise or resign from his post.