It looks as if the CPM-led LDF Government of Pinarayi Vijayan is keen to deny even the civil democratic rights to top leaders of RSS. That is why they made a hue and cry when RSS Sarsanghchalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat unfurled the National Flag in Karnnakiyamman Higher Secondary School, a government-aided private management institution in Palakkad, Kerala. The management of the school had invited Sarsanghchalak to grace its golden jubilee celebrations one year ago. Since he was not free to visit the school those days, he had promised to visit there during his next visit to Palakkad. Incidentally, Sarsanghchalak was in Palakkad from August 13 to 15. Naturally, he accepted the management’s invitation to hoist the National Flag in connection with the Independence Day.
Since Shri Bhagwat had accepted the invitation few months before, the school programme was very much in the itinerary prepared before he came to Kerala. And, as per the protocol, the district and state administrations were certainly aware of the same. But, the District Collector sent a letter to the school management around 11.40 pm on August 14, 2017, stating that only the school head or an elected representative was eligible to hoist the National Flag in a government aided private school. But the school management took a firm stand that Sarsanghchalak would unfurl the flag. And it happened on time. Then came Congress and CPM, the comrades-in-arms, to attack RSS, BJP and Shri Bhagwat. They stated that Shri Bhagwat was defying the collector’s order to instigate violence in case a police action took place against him for disobeying the order.
Senior BJP leader Adv PS Sreedharan Pillai told the media that the order itself was illegal hence no action could be taken against Sarsanghchalak. RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Dr Manmohan Vaidya informed the media that no other school had been given a similar order. Therefore, after serious deliberations school management decided that they would proceed with their original plan. Dr Vaidya said that Sangh condemns such brazen attempts by the CPM Government to deny the basic citizens’ rights to celebrate the Independence Day.
In a Malayalam news channel debate, an anchor went on to the extent of telling an utter lie that Shri Bhagwat had been arrested in Kerala, during the regime of AK Antony, for a controversial speech. But, an RSS representative pointed out that former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President VM Sudheeran unfurled the National Flag in a government-aided school in Thiruvananthapuram. He added that CPM leader Anathalavattam Anandan presided over the programme. But, the CPM MP’s reply was funny: “Sudheeran is a former speaker of the Assembly! They all belong to Kerala.” This statement exposed the hidden agenda of CPM. Later, similar reports came from Kozhikode also.
Now, there are reports that District Collector has recommended to the state education department for the suspension of the school principal. But, the youths of Kerala have taken up the matter in the right spirit. They have been blasting the state and district administrations, through social media, for trying to prevent RSS Sarsanghchalak from unfurling the national flag in a school.
–T Satisan, Kochi
Leave a Comment