Another Kerala govt-Raj Bhavan kerfuffle, this time over ‘RSS-style' Bharat Mata tribute
Kerala Agriculture Minister P. Prasad said that the picture displayed at the Raj Bhavan is typically used by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in its functions.
The celebrations, originally planned by the state agricultural department, were supposed to be held at the Kerala Raj Bhavan and inaugurated by Governor Rajendra Arlekar, but were moved to the Kerala Secretariat's Durbar Hall after the Raj Bhavan allegedly insisted that floral tributes would be paid before an image of 'Bharat Mata' holding a saffron flag, placed on the central dais.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government and Governor Rajendra Arlekar were locked in yet another confrontation Thursday as the state agricultural minister boycotted an 'Environment Day' event at the Raj Bhavan after the governor insisted on paying tribute to 'Bharat Mata'. The state government said the move is commonly associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
'Raj Bhavan shouldn't be a venue for mere political events. The governor shouldn't be doing political events from there. We are all politicians, but we never display that at public events. If I come with the CPI(M)'s flag for an agriculture department event, will it be right?' Prasad said, while speaking to the media Thursday.
A statement from the governor, released by Raj Bhavan Thursday, said, 'The agricultural minister was supposed to come for today's event. But he was not able to come here. I don't know what better issues we have, better than environmental issues. I was told the the minister wanted Bharat Mata image be removed from the dais. I said we can anything possible, but we can't remove Bharat Mata.'
'These are the ideals, which we are living. That is why both the ministers (agriculture and education) are not coming here. I don't know what sort of thinking we have in our minds,' he added.
Despite the boycott, the Raj Bhavan proceeded with its own celebration of the day, with Arlekar planting saplings at the premises.
This is not the first time the governor and the government have clashed in the Left-ruled state, with disagreements particularly frequent during the term of Arlekar's predecessor, Arif Mohammed Khan.
However, the initial period of Arlekar's tenure, appointed on 2 January 2025, suggested a more cordial relationship between the two. He publicly praised the state government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, including at a Republic Day event. However, this relationship soured after he faced criticism from both the Left Democratic Front and United Democratic Front (UDF) for his remarks after the Supreme Court laid down timelines in which governors must clear bills, calling Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi's delay in clearing bills 'illegal'. Arlekar called it 'judicial overreach'.
Reacting to Thursday's incident, CPI(M) General Secretary M.V. Govindan said that the governor's action was part of the RSS's broader agenda to 'saffronise' the State.
'Bharat Mata is not an official symbol. The Governor is carrying out the RSS's saffronisation agenda. It was an unnecessary insistence from the Raj Bhavan to impose their tradition of paying tributes to a symbol on an official government function. It was a respectful decision taken by the minister to boycott the event. I congratulate him for that,' Govindan told reporters.
Congress also condemned the incident. Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said Raj Bhavan, as a constitutional body, should not serve as a venue for RSS events.
'Raj Bhavan brought RSS leader Gurumurthy to talk about Operation Sindoor. He spoke ill of all the former Prime Ministers of India. Raj Bhavan should not be a venue for RSS events. We condemn it,' he said, speaking to reporters. 'Pinarayi Vijayan or CPI(M) didn't say anything against it then. Raj Bhavan shouldn't be turned into RSS headquarters.'
On 21 May, the Raj Bhavan had hosted a talk on Operation Sindoor, sparking controversy after it invited RSS ideologue and editor of Thuglak magazine S. Gurumurthy as its lead speaker.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
Also Read: How BJP is moving to co-opt Congress icons 'ripe for appropriation' in Kerala
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