Kerala Governor Defends Bharat Mata Portrait Amid Ministerial Boycott
“We respect Bhart Mata. But we do not approve of the portrait of Bhart Mata carrying RSS saffron flag,” say CPI state secretary Benoy Viswam
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar said there was no question of removing the portrait of Bharat Mata from the Raj Bhavan premises.
At the World Environment Day function in Raj Bhavan here on Thursday, Governor Arlekar said;``I was told that the agriculture minister would be present for this function. Earlier, it was informed that the education minister will also be present. However, they were not able to come here. The minister wanted the Bharat Mata portrait to be removed from the dais. Late last evening, I got the message. I said we will do everything possible, but we cannot remove Bharat Mata. We cannot keep away all these idols with which we are living. We cannot do away with this, and that was the reason why both the ministers have not come here. I do not know what sort of thinking we have in our minds,” he said.
Earlier, agriculture minister P Prasad who belongs to CPI not only boycotted the Raj Bhavan function but also shifted the venue of government function to Durbar Hall in Secretariat. He objected to the use of Bharat Mata portrait which is used by RSS in its events.
Meanwhile, CPI state secretary Benoy Viswam expressed surprise over the Governor insisting on the use of RSS Bharat Mata image. “I fail to understand why he is trying to make a big issue. We respect Bharat Mata. But the portrait has a Bharat Mata carrying the saffron flag of the RSS. This is unacceptable, the country does not belong to a particular ideology or an organisation,” he said.
