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Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid ‘Bharat Mata' portrait tussle with Governor, Kerala's Left govt to teach ‘powers of Governor' in schools
The tussle between Kerala's Governor and its elected Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led government now appears to have entered a new realm. A day after he walked out of an official function at Raj Bhavan in protest against the use of a portrait of Bharat Mata with a saffron flag at the venue, Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty said the powers of the governor will be included in the school syllabus this academic year. The move is unprecedented from a state, and comes a day after the minister, a senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, walked out of an official event at Raj Bhavan after questioning the propriety of using a portrait of Bharat Mata with a saffron flag. However, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said the minister's walkout 'is a gross violation of protocol and a grave insult to the office of the Governor'. This is the second time that the CPI(M)-led Left front government in the state is locking horns with Raj Bhavan over the use of such a portrait at functions. Addressing the media Friday, Sivankutty said the second volume of social science textbooks for Class 10 will include lessons on the Constitutional powers of the Governor. 'Besides, when the curriculum for Classes 11 and 12 will be renewed, the same topic will be included in the syllabus. The Supreme Court had clearly stated the powers of the Governor. Constitutional values should be taught in schools. The Governor should rectify his advice to the students that they should adore Bharat Mata,' he said. Thursday's event was the Kerala State Bharat Scouts and Guides Rajya Puraskar award ceremony at Raj Bhavan, for which the Governor was the chief guest. The minister, during his address, protested against the portrait of Bharat Mata and walked out of the function. He eventually told the media: 'Raj Bhavan is not the Governor's family property. It cannot be converted into an RSS centre. When I reached the venue, I saw the Governor offering floral tributes before the portrait. This was not in the programme notice. During my address, I had registered my protest to the Governor. During an official function, a photo that symbolises a political organisation should not be placed'. The Governor later said that there is no question of doing away with Bharat Mata, 'as we draw our idea of patriotism and nationhood from Bharat Mata'. 'Bharat Mata helps us to inculcate nationalistic values amongst our young generation,' he said.
Time of India
a day 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.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Objecting to portrait of Bharat Mata with saffron flag, Kerala minister walks out of Raj Bhavan event
Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty on Thursday walked out of an official function at Raj Bhavan in protest against the use of a portrait of Bharat Mata with a saffron flag at the venue. The minister questioned the propriety of using the portrait at an official function at Raj Bhavan, but Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said the minister's walkout 'is a gross violation of protocol and a grave insult to the office of the Governor'. The Governor's Office said Raj Bhavan viewed the developments with utmost concern. 'This public display of misconduct openly insulted the Governor personally, besides the office of the Governor. The minister did not even bother to inform the Governor about his abrupt exit. As per protocol, even anyone amongst the audience, leave alone those sharing the dais with the Governor, is barred from leaving until and unless the Governor leaves the venue,' it said in a statement. The event was the Kerala State Bharat Scouts and Guides Rajya Puraskar award ceremony at Raj Bhavan, for which the Governor was the chief guest. The minister, during his address, protested against the portrait of Bharat Mata at the venue and then left the function. Later, the minister told the media, 'Raj Bhavan is not the Governor's family property. It cannot be converted into an RSS centre. When I reached the venue, I saw the Governor offering floral tributes before the portrait. This was not in the programme notice. During my address, I had registered my protest to the Governor. During an official function, a photo that symbolises a political organisation should not be placed.' In a statement after the minister spoke to the media, the Governor's Office said, 'The minister who handles the Education portfolio has set…a wrong precedent by his misconduct. Significantly, the minister came 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 of the state admitted to the audience that the portrait of Bharatamba is not familiar to him. Disturbingly, the 'performance' of the minister 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.' This is the second time that the CPI(M)-led Left front government in the state is locking horns with Raj Bhavan over the use of a Bharat Mata portrait at functions. On June 5, Agriculture Minister P Prasad had kept away from a function at Raj Bhavan over the presence of such a portrait at the central hall of Raj Bhavan. The Agriculture department had planned a state-level inauguration of Environment Day celebration at Raj Bhavan with the Governor as the chief guest. When officials of the department alerted the minister about the presence of the portrait at the venue, he decided to keep away from the event. As a result, the department conducted its own function at the Darbar Hall of the state Secretariat, while Raj Bhavan held the scheduled function without the minister.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Kerala minister Sivankutty walks out of Raj Bhavan event over ‘Bharat Mata' portrait; Governor's office terms it as grave insult
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: General Education Minister V Sivankutty walked out from an event held at the Raj Bhavan here on Thursday registering his protest over a portrait of 'Bharat Mata, allegedly holding an RSS flag, that was kept at the dias. The incident, that occured during the Rajya Puraskar award distribution ceremony of Bharat Scouts and Guides attended by Governor Rajendra Arlekar, evoked a sharp response from the Raj Bhavan. This is the second instance in which a minister in the LDF government boycotted a Raj Bhavan event objecting to the display of the Bharat Mata portrait. Agriculture Minister P Prasad had kept away from another event at the Raj Bhavan earlier this month over the same issue. Later addressing a news conference, Sivankutty flayed the inclusion of religious symbols in official events and said it violated the secular nature of government programmes. The Minister said he expressed his objection towards the display of the Bharat Mata portrait at a government function before staging a walkout in protest.
New Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Governor urges scouts, guides to focus on nation building
BHUBANESWAR: Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Friday called upon members of the scouts and guides to become torchbearers of a brighter future. The nation needs their dedication, discipline, and values now more than ever, he said. Addressing the Rajya Puraskar ceremony of Odisha State Bharat Scouts and Guides at the Raj Bhavan here, he praised the scouts and guides movement for nurturing responsible citizens through service, self-reliance, and moral integrity. 'The Rajya Puraskar is not the end of your journey, it is a milestone,' the Governor said, urging the young members to carry forward the values of kindness, honesty, and leadership in all their actions. As the chief patron of the Odisha State Bharat Scouts and Guides, the Governor expressed pride in the organisation's accomplishments and its strong presence even in remote areas of the state. He commended the Odisha branch for winning several national level awards. Members of the Odisha State Bharat Scouts and Guides were awarded in eight different categories during the event. On the occasion, eminent linguist Devi Prasanna Pattnaik was honoured with the Utkal Jyoti Samman by the Governor. First Lady Jayshree Kambhampati, School and Mass Education minister Nityananda Gond and minister of Higher Education Suryabanshi Suraj were present.
