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ARTICLE AD BOX
The minister, during his address on Thursday, protested against the portrait of Bharat Mata and walked out of the function. (Express photo)
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.
English (US) ·