Secular forces should resist move to use RSS symbols at Raj Bhavan: CPI(M) Kerala secretary

Thiruvananthapuram | CPI(M) Kerala state secretary M V Govindan on Friday said all secular forces should come forward to protest Governor Rajendra Arlekar's decision to use RSS symbol of ‘Bharat Mata' in official functions at the Raj Bhavan.

Addressing reporters here after a party state secretariat meeting, he justified state Education Minister V Sivankutty boycotting a function orgainsed to distribute prizes for the Scouts and Guides held at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday, for displaying the portrait.

Govindan said only national symbols should be used at official functions, and not the symbols commonly used by any other outfits like the RSS. “The Governor's move is against the Constitution,” he said.

He said the state Agriculture Minister P Prasad had refused to attend a function at the Raj Bhavan when he was told that he should pay tributes to the ‘Bharat Mata' symbol of the RSS before the ceremony.

The Raj Bhavan had since informed the government that it will not be repeated at public functions, which has now been violated again, Govindan alleged.

The Raj Bhavan had later issued a statement criticising Sivankutty's action, terming it as violation of protocol and a 'grave insult' to the office of the Governor.

On the Nilambur assembly by-election held on Thursday, he said the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) will register a big win despite the ‘negative campaign' taken up by the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF).

“There will be an explosion in the UDF after the by-poll results,” Govindan said.

The LDF could make significant gains through its political campaign exposing the false narratives of the UDF, while the fissures in the Congress came out in the form of verbal battles between its leaders, he claimed.

To a question, Govindan said the secretariat meeting did not discuss his controversial remark on CPI(M)'s collaboration with the RSS during the Emergency period.

The Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and the party had made a clarification, and the matter ends there, he said.