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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kerala govt moves environment day celebration out of Raj Bhavan as row breaks out over Bharat Mata's photo
Two weeks after a row over Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideologue S Gurumurthy's talk on Operation Sindoor at the Kerala Raj Bhavan, another political storm is now brewing in the state – this one over a photo of Bharat Mata. The Kerala Agriculture Department Thursday changed the venue of its world environment day celebrations from Raj Bhavan claiming that the photo of Bharat Mata on display there is 'one used by the RSS'. This is the first time that the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Kerala government has openly expressed its displeasure with the Raj Bhavan after the current governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, assumed office early this year. The agriculture department had planned the state-level inauguration of the environmental day celebration at Raj Bhavan with the governor as the chief guest. Officials of the agriculture department, who reviewed the preparations of the function at the central hall of the Raj Bhavan, noticed that the picture of the Bharat Mata to be used at the venue was similar to the one generally used by the Sangh Parivar and subsequently, they took up the matter with CPI leader and agriculture minister P Prasad, who took strong exception to the picture. As a result, the department conducted its own function at the darbar hall of the state secretariat. Prasad told the media that the government had planned the event at Raj Bhavan but changed its venue after an impasse with the Governor over the photo. 'The picture of Bharat Mata displayed at the venue (central hall of the Raj Bhavan) is one that is used by RSS. A seat of a constitutional body should not use that. Constitutionally, it is not proper to use that picture at a government function. The Governor insisted on using that picture itself, but we could not agree with that decision. So, the government function was shifted out of Raj Bhavan,' he said. But sources at the Raj Bhavan said the minister could not dictate what should be or should not be used at the Raj Bhavan. He also said the programme went ahead as planned at the Raj Bhavan and 'was attended by the Governor and officials'. 'When a function is being held at Raj Bhavan, the minister cannot dictate what should be used and what should not be used. The minister has no right to say which picture of Bharat Mata should be used,' one source said. This comes two weeks after the Raj Bhavan's talk by Gurumurthy on 'Operation Sindoor: Paradigm shift from candle light to Brahmos', drew criticism from the Opposition Congress, which objected to 'the Raj Bhavan being converted into the RSS headquarters'. The party reacted similarly to the latest development, with Opposition Leader V D Satheesan saying it 'was not proper' to use that picture of Bharat Mata at Raj Bhavan. 'Weeks ago, the RSS ideologue Gurumurthy was brought to Raj Bhavan for a talk and he spoke insulting former prime ministers. Why is chief minister Vijayan silent on it? He is afraid of speaking about the Governor. Raj Bhavan is a constitutional body and it should not be made a venue for such political programmes,' he said.
India Gazette
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
It is very unfortunate: Kerala LoP Satheesan slams RSS leader's involvement in Raj Bhavan lecture series on Op Sindoor
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 23 (ANI): Kerala Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader V.D. Satheesan has criticised the involvement of senior RSS leader Gurumurthy in a lecture series at Raj Bhavan, on Operation Sindoor on Thursday. LoP Satheesan criticised what he claimed the politicisation of the event, stating that senior RSS leader Gurumurthy's speech was political and critical of previous central governments, particularly Congress governments. Addressing reporters, LoP Satheesan said, 'Under the leadership of Kerala Governor, they are conducting a series of lectures at the Raj Bhavan regarding #OperationSindoor. But on the last day, senior RSS leader Gurumurthy attended the meeting and criticised earlier central governments, Congress governments. It was a political speech.' While Satheesan said that they (Congress) has no objection to the Raj Bhavan conducting lecture series on Operation Sindoor, he remarked that the event should bring defence and foreign affairs experts rather than RSS leaders. 'We don't have any objection to Raj Bhavan conducting a series of lectures regarding Operation Sindoor. The problem is that they have to bring defence experts as well as foreign affairs experts, not the RSS leaders. To make such a lecture at the premises of the Raj Bhavan, making a political speech - there is an impropriety. We condemn that.', Satheesan said. The Kerala LoP described the incident as unfortunate and requested, 'It is very unfortunate that under the leadership of the Governor there was such a meeting. We request the State Government that they should also inform the Governor raising a protest...' Earlier in the day, a high-level all-party delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde held meetings with UAE leadership on the significance of Operation Sindoor and reaffirmed India's firm stance against cross-border terrorism. UAE is the first stop of the broader four-nation diplomatic outreach by the all-party delegation. 'The delegations held meetings with UAE leadership and media to brief on the significance of Operation Sindoor and reaffirm India's firm stance against cross-border terrorism,' Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, said in a press release. The delegation met Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahyan conveyed his deep condolences for the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The delegation highlighted the perpetration of cross-border terrorism and Pakistan's efforts to cause social disharmony in India'India and UAE will tackle terrorism together. The UAE will always stand by India,' the UAE Minister said. The all-party delegation comprises MPs Bansuri Swaraj, ET Mohmd Basheer, Atul Garg, Sasmit Patra, Manan Kumar Mishra, BJP leader Surendrajeet Singh Ahluwalia, and former Ambassador Sujan delegation held substantive discussions with Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of Federal National Council and other senior Emirati parliamentarians. The delegation underscored the precise, measured, and non-escalatory nature of Operation Sindoor against the barbaric terrorist attack on the tourists in Kashmir on April 22. The UAE was among the first countries to issue a statement categorically condemning the Pahalgam terrorist attack. UAE leaders, President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan personally conveyed their condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar over phone calls. (ANI)
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Controversy erupts over talk on Operation Sindoor at Raj Bhavan
A talk on Operation Sindoor, organised by Kerala Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, has sparked a heated political debate, particularly due to the attendance of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue and editor of Thuglak magazine S. Gurumurthy has the lead speaker. The session, which was themed 'Paradigm shift from candlelight to BrahMos', was chaired by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. 'Politicising the office' Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan condemned the event and slammed Raj Bhavan for politicising the gubernatorial office by inviting the RSS leader to speak at a function honouring the defence forces involved in Operation Sindoor. The Congress leader also expressed concern over Mr. Gurumurthy's political remarks, especially those allegedly made against former Central governments and leaders. 'Raj Bhavan is not the platform for such political speeches. It is the official residence of the Governor. Inviting an RSS leader to speak at such an event, especially with remarks aimed at previous governments, is unfortunate and inappropriate,' Mr. Satheesan told mediapersons on Thursday. While he did not oppose the event on Operation Sindoor, he emphasised it would have been more suitable to invite military experts or foreign policy specialists to speak on the subject. He also urged the State government and the Chief Minister to clarify their stance on the issue. Rejecting the Opposition's criticism, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V. Muraleedharan praised the Governor's decision to invite Mr. Gurumurthy. He added that the era of using the Raj Bhavan for Congress' internal political games is over. 'The event organised with S. Gurumurthy as a speaker was a timely and appropriate one,' he said. He further stated that Mr. Gurumurthy is not just a RSS leader, but a renowned thinker and economist.
United News of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
India as a nation has risen above history: S Gurumurthy
Thiruvananthapurm, May 22 (UNI) Noted columnist and prominent nationalist thinker S. Gurumurthy has said intelligent nations rise above history whereas the less fortunate ones are hostages of history. Gurumurthy said India has evolved the idea of nationhood which is based on mutual respect towards all religious communities, whereas the idea of nationhood of Pakistan is based singly on 'hatred towards India'. He was delivering speech on 'Operation Sindoor: Paradigm Shift from Candle light to Brahmos' here in Rajbhavan on Wednesday evening. "While Pakistan has a theology which has become a political ideology, India has developed a philosophy of nationhood,"he pointed out. Lauding the efforts of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, Gurumurthy said that about 32 % of India's defence equipment are 'Made in India' which has made a huge impetus in the strategic dimensions of India's defence preparedness. Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar presided over the function. Earlier the family members of the slain Ramachandran, who was a victim of Pahalgam terror strike, was honoured by the Governor. Swaminathan Gurumurthi, popularly known as a writer and journalist in India and a chartered accountant by profession, is a corporate adviser of high standing. Highly rated for his investigative writings, he has ceaselessly campaigned against corruption at high places, exposing the bribery in Bofors arms deal and the nexus between corporates and government. UNI DS GNK
India Today
23-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Union Home Ministry flags security lapses in temple town with Andhra government
The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the Andhra Pradesh government to look into the repeated security lapses at Tirumala, the sacred temple town in Tirupati district. The Union Home Ministry's action came in response to a complaint submitted by Member of Parliament from Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency Maddila Gurumurthy. In his letter to the Home Ministry, the YSR Congress Party leader said he was concerned about public safety at the holy Under Secretary Mrutyunjay Tripathy, in response, wrote to the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh on April 17, asking the state government to examine the issue seriously and take necessary steps to strengthen security measures. The ministry also asked the Chief Secretary to reply MP Gurumurthy regarding the recurring safety lapses at Tirumala. Source said that Gurumurthy, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had raised alarm over repeated security lapses at Tirumala, which not only affected the pilgrims but also compromised 'the sanctity of Lord Venkateswara Swamy's sacred abode.'He blamed the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administration, appointed by the Telugu Desam Party-led government, for failing to implement robust security measures, which endangered pilgrims' MP cited the January 8 stampede ahead of Vaikunta Ekadasi in Tirupati, which killed six devotees and injured over 50, as a key example. He stressed that the absence of a dedicated security head and poor coordination among multiple agencies has severely weakened security. 'Incidents at Alipiri and Tirumala show the urgent need for comprehensive action,' he Home Ministry acknowledged these concerns and emphasised the importance of securing one of India's busiest and most sacred pilgrimage centres. Gurumurthy also listed the Annadanam queue stampede incident. He pointed out poor crowd control led to a stampede-like situation, endangering many devotees. He mentioned a January 20 security breach where people smuggled non-vegetarian food, including egg biryani, into Tirumala through Alipiri, violating temple norms. Another security breach pointed out by the MP was that unauthorised hawkers were caught sneaking alcohol and ganja through the Alipiri checkpoint in MarchHe also mentioned the incident where forest officials were found canoeing in the sacred dam waters of Papavinasanam Dam without TTD's on April 15, a drone spotted near the temple caused a scare. It was later traced to a YouTuber from Rajasthan, who was detained by TTD for flying near the sacred by Devang Durlav Das Must Watch IN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh
