Latest news with #BharatMata
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Lesson on Governor's powers to be added to school textbooks, says Kerala minister
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Friday announced that school textbooks will soon include content explaining the constitutional powers and duties of state Governors, saying schools are the ideal place to learn the values of democracy. The announcement comes a day after Sivankutty made headlines for walking out of an official event at the Raj Bhavan, the Governor's residence, in protest against the display of a Bharat Mata image widely used in RSS events during the programme. In a statement on Friday, the minister said the curriculum reforms are aimed at promoting constitutional principles, and schools play a vital role in helping children learn how democracy works. "In recent times, there has been a rise in efforts to destabilise elected governments by misusing Governors," Sivankutty said, adding that even the Supreme Court has made clear what a Governor's powers are under the Constitution. "Since schools are the ideal place to learn the values of democracy, the revised textbooks will specifically include content on the constitutional powers of Governors to educate students on this matter," he said. The minister said the topic will appear in the second volume of the Social Science textbook this year and will also be part of upcoming changes to higher secondary school books. On Thursday, Raj Bhavan had strongly criticised Sivankutty for walking out of the programme, organised to distribute 'Scout and Guide Certificates' for school students, while Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was present on the dais, calling it a "serious breach of protocol and a grave insult to the constitutional office of the Governor." Under attack from Raj Bhavan, the minister had hit back at the Governor, alleging that Arlekar had violated the Constitution by turning an official function at his residence into a political event. Amid mounting criticism from the Left government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, over the use of a saffron-clad image at official functions, the Governor has firmly stated: "There is no question of doing away with Bharat Mata, as we draw our idea of patriotism and nationhood from Bharat Mata."
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Kerala government to incorporate the Governor's constitutional rights, duties in the school curriculum
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opening a new battlefront with the Raj Bhavan after the Bharat Mata portrait controversy, the state government has decided to incorporate the Constitutional rights and duties of the Governor in the school curriculum. General Education Minister V Sivankutty said the government is planning to include the constitutional rights and duties of the Governor in the second volume of the Class X Social Science textbook. "It will also be included in the Plus One and Plus Two texts that are set to be revised soon," the Minister told reporters here on Friday. Sivankutty said the school curriculum has been revised by upholding constitutional values, and the government would give full support for the inculcation of these values by students in their daily life.
The Print
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Kerala education minister walks out of Raj Bhavan event in protest of RSS-styled Bharat Mata portrait
Earlier this month, state Agriculture Minister P Prasad had boycotted the Environment Day event at the Raj Bhavan over the display of the portrait. Following his walkout, the Raj Bhavan issued a statement in which Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said, 'there is no question of doing away with Bharathambha (Bharat Mata)'. Thiruvananthapuram : The Bharat Mata controversy resurfaced in Kerala after State General Education Minister V Sivankutty walked out of a state government event at Raj Bhavan on Thursday, protesting against the display of an image widely used in RSS functions, during the programme. The move had led to a row between the CPI and Governor Arlekar, who had asserted that there would be no compromise on Bharat Mata. The latest incident of Sivankutty walking out of the event over the portrait comes a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the display of the Bharat Mata portrait at the Raj Bhavan, stating that the Governor's office should not be used to promote the ideological agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Giving details of what happened, Sivankutty said that a 'Scout and Guide Certificate' distribution programme for schoolchildren was held at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday morning and when he arrived there, he saw the Bharat Mata portrait onstage with a lamp lit before it. He said that he had arrived a bit late to the event as he had to attend another programme before that where CM Vijayan was speaking. 'After the CM's speech, I left for this event. When I reached the Raj Bhavan, I saw the Bharat Mata portrait with the saffron flag on the stage and that it was being paid floral tributes and a lamp was being lit before it,' he said. 'What happened at the event shows arrogance,' he added. As the event commenced and he was invited to deliver the presidential address, he strongly protested against the display of the portrait in an official government programme and walked out from there, Sivankutty told reporters here. 'I told the Governor during my speech that it was a state government programme being conducted jointly by the Raj Bhavan and the state administration and the Bharat Mata portrait displayed here is that of a political organisation. Lighting a lamp before it was not correct as it is an official programme 'I strongly protest against this. The Kerala government's stand about it has already been conveyed by the CM a day ago. If a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi or the Prime Minister were displayed, it would have been prestigious. Instead Raj Bhavan has been turned into a political centre,' he said. Sivankutty said that after conveying his protest, he walked out of the event. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said that had the government indicated its strong protest right after the first incident, 'it would not have been repeated again'. He claimed that the CM reacted very late to the incident. 'Since the government did not indicate its protest earlier, it was repeated. So, no point in putting up such shows now. The government needs to indicate its protest to the Governor and not the media,' he said, referring to Sivankutty's walkout. Sivankutty, during his press meet, also claimed that there was no mention about the portrait being displayed at the event in the programme schedule. 'We cannot allow Raj Bhavan to be turned into an RSS centre. This Governor has taken a political stand which is much worse than that of former Governors,' he said. The minister further said that if government events are held in this manner, then children would not be sent to the Raj Bhavan in future. 'I could have asked the students at the event to also leave, but it was my decency that I did not do so,' he said. He also alleged that the Governor, through the display of the portrait, has tried to communalise the minds of the students. 'Children have not seen this portrait before. It will probably be made part of the textbooks now,' the minister said. On being asked what the government would do if oath-taking ceremonies or other official programmes are held at the Raj Bhavan and the portrait is displayed there, he said that an appropriate decision would be taken at that time. PTI HMP HMP KH This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Also read: Savarkar severely criticised RSS for its 'purely cultural' orientation
The Print
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
‘Bharat Mata' portrait pits LDF against Kerala Governor, again. ‘Turning Raj Bhavan into party office'
'I congratulate all the students who received the award. This is the highest honour in Scouts and Guides. But I want to draw the attention of the Honourable Governor to one issue. This event is co-organised by the State Government and the Raj Bhavan. Yet, an image representing a political party has been displayed here. It is inappropriate to pay tribute to that image. I strongly condemn this,' Sivankutty said in a video later shared on his Facebook page. General Education Minister V. Sivankutty boycotted the Scouts and Guides Rajyapuraskar award ceremony, leaving the Raj Bhavan shortly after extending his wishes to the children. Thiruvananthapuram: A Kerala minister boycotted a Raj Bhavan event Thursday over the display of a Bharat Mata portrait in the second such incident this month, marking yet another low in the tussle between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and Governor Rajendra Arlekar. He alleged that this was part of a move to turn the Raj Bhavan into 'a political party office'. This comes just weeks after Agriculture Minister P. Prasad boycotted another Raj Bhavan event on World Environment Day objecting to the presence of a Bharat Mata portrait. Prasad later held a separate event at the Secretariat. The opposition Congress party had extended support to the minister. 'The Governor must understand that Indian nationalism is rooted in the Constitution. It is not based on a singular cultural identity, but on an inclusive and democratic vision enshrined in our Constitution. This must be clearly asserted,' Sivankutty said in his statement. He further stated that India is not a monolithic entity constructed around any single symbol, image, or form, and that Indian nationalism draws its strength from its diversity. 'Describing the image of a woman holding a saffron flag as the sole symbol of Indian patriotism ignores this fundamental reality. The idea of India does not reside in mythology or imagination. It lives in the sovereignty of its people, the rule of law, and the constitutional guarantees of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity,' the minister added, saying the Governor must remember that Indian patriotism means upholding constitutional values and safeguarding diversity. However, Governor Rajendra Arlekar responded by asserting that there is no question of removing Bharat Mata from public spaces. 'There is no question of doing away with Bharat Mata, as we draw our idea of patriotism and nationhood from Bharat Mata,' the Raj Bhavan said in a statement, quoting the governor. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also criticised the Governor for the display of a Bharat Mata portrait in his office. In a Thiruvananthapuram press briefing, Vijayan said the Governor's residence must remain neutral and should not become a platform for political propaganda. Earlier this week, members of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the ruling CPI(M), held a protest march to the Raj Bhavan against the display of portraits of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologues Golwalkar and Hedgewar at the Governor's residence. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Tharoor admits to 'difference of opinion' with Congress, says not asked to campaign in Nilambur
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sivankutty walks out over Bharatamba
1 2 3 4 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.
