Bhagwat to hoist tricolour at school in Kerala on R-Day
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat plans to circumvent an official directive banning political figures from unfurling the tricolour at government and aided schools across Kerala by hoisting it at a CBSE-affiliated school in Palakkad on Republic Day.
The CPI(M)-led LDF government had issued a circular to all government and aided schools across the state that only heads of institutions will be allowed to unfurl the national flag on their premises on January 26. Nevertheless, Bhagwat plans to go ahead with hoisting the Tricolour at the Vyas Vidya Peethom on the occasion.
The RSS chief will be in Palakkad district to attend a three-day meet around that time.
The right-wing organisation has dismissed the CPI(M)’s allegation that it was trying to whip up tension in the state by “defying” the government directive. “We will go ahead with our plan. The government directive is not binding on the school because it does not come under the state curriculum,” said E Krishnadas, district president of the BJP.
A similar incident had occurred on Independence Day last year, when it was announced that Bhagwat would unfurl the Tricolour at the Karnakiamman higher secondary school on the outskirts of Palakkad. However, hours before the event, district collector Mary Kutty restrained the institution from hosting the RSS chief because it was deemed “improper for a political leader to hoist the national flag at an aided school”. The school went ahead with the function, embarrassing the government in the process. Mary Kutty was shunted out a few weeks later.
The RSS defended Bhagwat’s decision to hoist the flag at the Vyas Vidya Peethom on Republic Day, stating that it does not amount to defying or disrespecting government directives.
“It is a people’s festival that enjoys the participation of those respected in society. Why should the state government be the only representative of the people?” said Manmohan Vaidya, all-India spokesperson of the RSS in New Delhi. The CPI(M) and RSS have been at loggerheads in northern Kerala for nearly three decades now.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/NEWDELHI: