Sivankutty walks out over Bharatamba
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T'puram: The simmering disagreement between governor
Rajendra Arlekar
and the state govt over the display of the Bharat Mata portrait at functions in Raj Bhavan spilled over once again on Thursday.
General education minister V Sivankutty was the latest to walk out of a Raj Bhavan programme over the portrait display at a function organised to give away Rajya Puraskar awards to Kerala State Bharat Scouts and Guides.
The minister walked out, alleging impropriety. He said the display of the portrait, which has no constitutional validity, and the floral tributes to it at the function, of which the state govt was also a part, were unacceptable.
He said the governor should stop his attempts to convert Raj Bhavan into a venue to push his political agenda.
The governor's office, in a statement, accused Sivankutty of protocol violation and insult. It said the minister came prepared with a written speech and the showdown was rather deliberate. Raj Bhavan also released the full text of the governor's address at the function, in which he unequivocally clarified that "there was no question of doing away with Bharatamba."
There were reports that Raj Bhavan had unofficially agreed to the govt's wish that Bharat Mata's portrait would not be used in programmes of which the state govt is also a party.
The new episode, however, negated such rumours.
Sivankutty told reporters outside Raj Bhavan that he told the audience of the programme that he could not recognise the images and symbols represented by the Bharat Mata portrait, to which the governor had offered floral tributes just before the minister reached the dais.
"A woman holding a saffron flag is not an official symbol. It is a move to bring the concept of India and nationalism under Hindutva ideology," Sivankutty said, adding that it was wrong on governor's part to behave at a govt function in such a way that gave preference to a particular ideology.
Sivankutty rejected the Raj Bhavan claims of protocol violation and said his gesture was in respect of Constitution.
Agriculture minister P Prasad had earlier boycotted a govt function organised at Raj Bhavan after it insisted on displaying Bharat Mata's portrait.
In a press note, Raj Bhavan said Sivankutty's protest was a "public display of misconduct" and he did not even bother to inform the governor about his abrupt exit.
"The minister had come with a prepared speech which he chose to read out — a clear indication of his preparedness for an impending showdown. It is a pity that the education minister admitted to the audience that Bharatamba's portrait is not familiar to him. Disturbingly, the minister's 'performance' was right in front of the disciplined Scouts and Guides who had come to receive the awards from the minister and the governor.
Thereby, the minister has insulted the students as well, apart from setting a wrong model before the students. Raj Bhavan views today's developments with utmost concern," the statement from Raj Bhavan said.
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