Saffron flag-holding Bharath Matha motif at an official function emerges as a sore point between government and Raj Bhavan

Partisan politics disrupt Kerala government's World Environment Day celebrations at Raj Bhavan, sparking controversy over national symbols.

Partisan politics appeared to have crept into the Kerala government’s World Environment Day celebrations at Raj Bhavan on Thursday, with Agriculture Minister P. Prasad controversially skipping the event at the last minute, citing constitutional and political reasons.

The picture of a saffron flag-holding Bharat Matha astride a lion at Raj Bhavan’s central hall, where the event was scheduled to be held, emerged as a sore point between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the Governor’s office at the eleventh hour.

Mr. Prasad justified his decision by stating that the picture, unlike the tri-colour, was not a national symbol.

“It is a motif used by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to promote its Hindu deification of the secular Mother India concept inspired by the Independence movement. The LDF could not constitutionally abide by Raj Bhavan’s insistence that the administration hold the event against the backdrop of the RSS’s political device,” he said.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar took strong exception to the government’s stance. “We cannot do away with a national symbol we are living for,” he said later at a private function. Mr. Arlerkar observed the day by planting a fruit tree on the grounds of Raj Bhavan.

The LDF administration shifted the function to the historic Durbar Hall in the government Secretariat. Mr. Prasad marked the occasion by planting a sapling.

CPI(M)] State secretary M.V. Govindan stated that Raj Bhavan was constitutionally bound to remain overtly apolitical.