Bharat Mata portrait at Raj Bhavan.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharat Mata controversy reignited in Kerala on Thursday after State General Education Minister V. Sivankutty walked out of an official event at the Raj Bhavan, protesting the display of a Bharat Mata portrait commonly associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functions. The event, a ‘Scout and Guide Certificate’ distribution programme for schoolchildren, was co-organised by the state government and the Raj Bhavan.
Sivankutty, who arrived late to the function after attending a separate programme with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, said he was taken aback to see a Bharat Mata portrait with a saffron flag on the stage. Floral tributes were being paid and a ceremonial lamp was lit before the image. As he was called to deliver the presidential address, he openly criticised the display, declaring it inappropriate for an official function and then walked out.
The minister said the act amounted to political imposition, claiming the portrait belonged to a particular political organisation. “This is a state government programme, and the inclusion of such a portrait is not acceptable. Lighting a lamp before it during an official event is inappropriate,” Sivankutty said, adding that the government had already conveyed its stand through the Chief Minister's remarks the previous day. He further stated that the presence of a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi or the Prime Minister would have been more fitting for such an occasion. Instead, he accused the Raj Bhavan of being converted into a political centre.
The Governor’s office later issued a statement defending the portrait’s inclusion, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar saying, “There is no question of doing away with Bharathambha (Bharat Mata).”
The controversy follows a similar incident earlier this month when Agriculture Minister P. Prasad boycotted an Environment Day event at the Raj Bhavan over the same issue. That protest had sparked a political row between the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Governor Arlekar, who asserted there would be no compromise on displaying the image.
Sivankutty criticised the omission of any mention of the portrait in the official programme schedule, accusing the Raj Bhavan of trying to “communalise the minds of children” attending the event. “Children have not seen this portrait before. It may soon find its way into textbooks,” he said. He also warned that if such practices continue, the state government would consider not sending students to Raj Bhavan events in the future. “I could have asked the students to leave too, but out of decency, I didn’t,” he added.
The minister also expressed concern over the Governor’s political posture, claiming it was more overt than that of previous Governors. “We cannot allow Raj Bhavan to be turned into an RSS centre,” he said.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan criticised the state government for its delayed response. He said that if the government had protested strongly after the first incident, it would not have been repeated. “There’s no point in these shows now. The protest should be communicated to the Governor directly, not just expressed through the media,” Satheesan remarked.
When asked what the government would do if similar portraits were displayed at future official ceremonies, such as oath-taking events, Sivankutty said an appropriate decision would be taken when the time comes.
With PTI inputs