Kerala Min. calls ''Bharat Mata'' portrait ''religious image'', slams Guv for violating Constitution
Kozhikode (Kerala), Jun 28 (PTI): Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday strongly criticised Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for displaying Bharat Mata portrait during official functions at Raj Bhavan and labelled the act a "blatant violation" of constitutional norms.
The minister also termed the portrait, depicting a woman holding a saffron flag, as a "religious image".
A person holding a constitutional post worshipping such an image during official events is "tantamount to subverting the basic principles of the Constitution", he said at a press conference here.
Sivankutty's statement comes against the backdrop of intense war of words and street protests in Kerala over the Raj Bhavan's decision to display the Bharat Mata portrait at functions there.
In response to a question, he emphasised that the Preamble of the country declares it a secular democratic republic.
Citing various Articles of the Constitution, he said the promotion of any religious practice is prohibited in government programmes by those holding constitutional positions.
These Articles mandate the state's neutrality in religious matters.
"So, this action by the Governor is a blatant attack on the secular nature of the Indian Constitution. This is not only a violation of protocol, but also an act that undermines the secular values guaranteed by the Constitution," Sivankutty said.
The minister also justified his recent decision to boycott an official function held at Raj Bhavan over the display of the portrait.
"I walked out because I could not bear witness to such constitutional violations. I was only fulfilling my responsibility to uphold the Constitution. I am committed to go to any length to protect the secular nature of the Constitution."
Coming down heavily on the Governor, the state minister further said by paying floral tributes before the portrait, the Governor is "insulting" the secular nature of the Constitution.
Displaying and worshipping the image of Bharatamba at an official function would "tantamount to officially endorsing" a particular religious symbol, contrary to the secular nature of the country, he alleged.
It is for these reasons, Sivankutty explained, why the image of Bharat Mata is viewed as a religious symbol and its display at official functions is criticised as being opposed to constitutional, secular and democratic values.
The southern state has been witnessing a tussle between Arlekar and the Marxist party-led LDF government over the display of the Bharat Mata portrait during official events at the Raj Bhavan here.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has reportedly conveyed to the Governor about the government's dissent in using anything other than national symbols during official functions, sources said.
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Confident we are going to win Kerala: Shashi Tharoor
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday expressed confidence in the victory of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, saying the Congress-led alliance will win more than 75 seats out of the total 140 in the state.
Tharoor, who hails from Kerala, said he was not surprised to see the results of the exit polls, most of which predicted a victory for the UDF that has been out of power for 10 years in the state.
"We have been on the ground. I have campaigned in 59 constituencies across 12 districts out of 14. I was very confident we are going to win.
"Everything that I have picked up from not just my party colleagues and workers but also from other observers, media and others have always convinced me that we were going to score a comfortable win of above 75 seats. And all the (exit) polls have confirmed the same thing," he told reporters here.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP said he was not surprised to see the results of the exit polls but in general he was not a big fan of exit polls in India.
"Because ours is not purely a homogenous society. We have to take into account gender issue, caste issue, class issue, regional disparities. You never get a convincingly large enough sample to give an accurate poll and now there is the additional complication that we have heard about in West Bengal this year that many people are unwilling to answer the questions of the pollsters," he said.
The Congress leader said normally, it used to be below 10 per cent that people said that they would not answer.
"Even if you are a reputable exit pollster, in Bengal, one polling company has said 60 per cent of people refused to answer. So, what is the worth of a poll where 60 per cent of your respondents have not answered," he said.
Several exit polls on Wednesday predicted a comeback by the Congress-led UDF in Kerala after 10 years, dethroning the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Polling for the 140-member Kerala assembly was held on April 9. Results of assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Puducherry, besides Kerala, will be announced on May 4.
