Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty boycotted a Scouts and Guides programme at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday, objecting to the display of a ‘Bharat Mata’ picture that featured a flag associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Sivankutty, who is also the president of the state Scouts and Guides, was present to give out awards to students. Although he completed the formal part of the ceremony, he publicly declared he was boycotting the event due to the presence of the controversial image. According to sources, the state government had earlier conveyed to Raj Bhavan that the picture of Bharat Mata with the RSS flag should not be used for official functions.
adAddressing the media on Thursday, the Chief Minister reiterated the government’s position, making a clear distinction between personal beliefs and official protocol.
“Some are asking what is the problem in honouring Bharat Mata. What we should see is that our Constitution does not uphold the concept of Bharat Mata. The flag in Bharat Mata is of RSS. They can honour it, but don’t think everyone should follow the same,” he said.
He added that while individuals may hold different ideological views, state events must adhere to government-approved norms. “Raj Bhavan is not a place which should be turned into a venue for political campaigns. Such moves can only be seen as a challenge to the Constitution,” the Chief Minister stated
