Bharat Mata row: Kerala CM notifies Raj Bhavan that it can only display national symbols at Governor’s functions

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has notified Raj Bhavan that the Constitution mandates that it could display only national symbols at State functions attended by Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar.

Officials confirmed that Mr. Vijayan had issued a communique to the Governor’s office based on Wednesday’s (June 25, 2025) Cabinet finding that Constitutional protocol forbids using, displaying, or exhibiting political and religious iconography at events graced by the Governor as de jure head of State.

However, officials said, the exact wording of the Government-Raj Bhavan communication remained classified per official protocol and custom.  

The Cabinet had weighed the contentious matter in the wake of Raj Bhavan “repeatedly using” what the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) described as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) Hindu nationalist depiction of a saffron-flag-holding Mother India (Bharat Mata) astride a lion at functions attended by Mr. Arlekar.

The ruling front and the Opposition accused the Raj Bhavan of “superseding” national symbols such as the national flag and the national anthem by using images and rituals with political and religious overtones, including paying obeisance to the “RSS’ Bharat Mata portrait” at the Governor’s public functions.

Matters came to a head with Mr. Arlekar digging his heels in Raj Bhavan’s position that Bharat Mata was emblematic of a unified Mother India and on par with other national symbols.

Soon, the acrimonious political row over the use of Bharat Mata’s picture at gubernatorial functions spilt into the streets, with Students Federation of India (SFI) and Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists protesting outside the Kerala University Senate Hall on Wednesday.

Mr. Arlekar had arrived at the auditorium on the invitation of Sree Padmanabha Seva Samathi, a private trust, to preside over a function observing the 50th anniversary of the national emergency. A tense situation unfolded after BJP workers also mustered in strength at the venue to express solidarity with Mr. Arlekar.

Varsity moves SPC

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Kerala University moved the State Police Chief (SPC) against the trust’s office-bearers for going ahead with the function despite the registrar denying permission for the event.  The university has also reported damage to public property. 

Meanwhile, the Cantonment police have booked scores of SFI, KSU and BJP activists on the charge of unlawful assembly and rioting outside the Senate Hall.