Kerala: Governor-Government Row Over ‘Bharat Mata’ Image Escalates

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Thiruvananthapuram: The standoff between Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and the LDF government over the display of the ‘Bharat Mata’ image at the former’s official events has escalated.
With both sides doubling down on their positions, the unseemly episode has raised serious legal and constitutional questions.

The trigger for the controversy is the image of a sari-clad ‘Bharat Mata’ holding a saffron flag, which has become a regular feature at events organised by the Raj Bhavan and pro-Sangh Parivar outfits to which the Governor is invited.
The state government holds that the display of images or symbols other than those reflecting constitutional values at official functions amounts to a breach of protocol.

Ignoring the government’s stand, Governor Arlekar has made it clear that the ‘Bharat Mata’ image will be displayed at all Raj Bhavan events, stating that it merely symbolises reverence for the motherland.

The issue has already snowballed into a full-blown political battle on the streets. Left parties, including the CPI(M), assert that the portrait of ‘Bharat Mata’ holding a saffron flag is part of the iconography of the RSS and, as such, is not acceptable to all.

Supporting the government, pro-left student outfits mounted a protest earlier this week at the University of Kerala campus in the state capital, where the Governor was scheduled to attend a function organised by an outfit allegedly linked to the Sangh Parivar.

Standing firm against objections, the organisers refused to remove the image, even as the Governor arrived at the venue under heavy police security.

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With the row continuing unabated, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has indicated that the government will register its objection in writing to the Governor against featuring icons and symbols at state functions that are not officially sanctioned.

Unwilling to back down, the Governor responded with a letter to the government, stating that General Education Minister V. Sivankutty walking out of a function attended by the Governor constituted a breach of protocol.
Earlier, on June 5, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad had stayed away from the World Environment Day event at the Raj Bhavan over the same issue.

The LDF government had a running feud with Arlekar’s predecessor, Arif Mohammad Khan. Unlike Khan—who had frequently taken on the government in a demonstrative manner—Arlekar, despite his strong ideological leanings, has maintained composure and restraint.

When Arlekar took over a few months ago, he signalled his intent to maintain cordial relations with the government—a gesture that was initially reciprocated.

The Congress-led opposition had, at the time, taken a few digs at the government, accusing it of surrendering its political stance.

Despite passions running high on both sides of the divide, the issue has raised serious legal and constitutional questions: Is it appropriate for a Governor—who is expected to uphold the Constitution above personal and political preferences—to prominently feature images and symbols not reflective of the constitutional spirit?
Does a state government have the authority to dictate to the Governor which images should be featured at official events?

This round of Governor-Government standoff is also likely to become the subject of detailed legal examination, especially at a time when many opposition-ruled states are witnessing similar tensions with their respective Raj Bhavans.