Edu min violated protocol, says guv in letter to CM
Pinarayi Vijayan
expressing strong disapproval of the conduct of general education minister V Sivankutty during a Bharat Scouts and Guides award function held at Raj Bhavan on June 19.
In the letter, the governor termed the minister's walkout from the official event a "violation of protocol" and an "act of disrespect" to the constitutional head of the state.
The governor said the event, attended by students and officials, was conducted with proper protocol, including the lighting of a lamp, floral tributes to Bharat Mata (Mother India), and the singing of the national anthem. All participants were advised to arrive on time and remain until the end, especially given his presence.
However, Sivankutty, who is also the president of the Bharat Scouts and Guides Association in the state, reportedly arrived late, read out a message, objected to the photograph of Bharat Mata, and walked out of the event. In his speech, he is said to have remarked that Raj Bhavan "cannot be turned into the office of a political party or organization," prompting an apology to the governor before exiting the stage.
"This act can be interpreted as a breach of decorum and protocol," the governor wrote, adding that "protocols are practised to maintain dignity and it is the duty of every participant to comply."
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Arlekar said he would not usually comment on protocol violations but found it necessary to highlight what he viewed as a deeper issue — an attempt to politicise the concept of Bharat Mata and portray Raj Bhavan in a political light.
The governor asserted that Bharat Mata, is a revered national symbol and not the creation of any political or religious group. "It is a concept born from the spirit of freedom and lives in the hearts of every Indian," he wrote, quoting past observations by the Madras High Court and drawing references from the national flag adoption debate in 1947.
He also said the minister's actions set a "poor example" before the Scouts and Guides who attended the function.
"The photograph placed at the venue was a widely accepted representation of Bharat Mata," Arlekar stated, explaining its elements the lion for strength, saffron for renunciation, and the Himalayas symbolising unity.
The immediate reason for the letter, he said, was the escalation of the issue to the streets.
"The peaceful coexistence in Kerala must not be endangered by a non-issue," he cautioned, urging the chief minister to take note. Arlekar concluded that the concept of Bharat Mata reinforces the idea of national unity and should not be subjected to political interpretation.
Venugopal writes to Prez
Meanwhile, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal wrote to the President on the growing constitutional crisis and law and order situation instigated by the "obstructionist" and "anti-constitutional" approach of the Raj Bhavan.
"Governors are meant to act on the aid and advice of the council of ministers but under the BJP regime we see Raj Bhavans are becoming the promoters of the saffron ideology, instead of upholding the Constitution. Repeated controversies, continuous shadow boxing and multiple roadblocks is not what people deserve," he wrote on X.
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