Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar has written a strongly worded letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, criticising General Education Minister V Sivankutty for walking out of a function held at Raj Bhavan on June 19. The Governor described the incident as a breach of protocol and an insult to the constitutional office.

The letter, dated June 26, refers to an awards ceremony for the Bharat Scouts and Guides, where Sivankutty — who also serves as President of the Association’s Kerala chapter — objected to the presence of a garlanded portrait of Bharat Mata on the stage, read out a brief message, and staged a walkout.

According to the Governor, all participants had been instructed to arrive on time and stay for the full duration of the event, given his presence. However, Sivankutty arrived late, feigned ignorance about the Bharathamba portrait, and left the venue after claiming Raj Bhavan was being turned into a political platform. He apologised to the Governor before exiting.

Calling the act a violation of protocol and an affront to the dignity of the constitutional head, Governor Arlekar noted that maintaining decorum at official events is a duty shared by all public representatives.

But the Governor’s letter went further, describing the incident as an affront to the idea of Bharathamba, which he called a symbol of India's freedom struggle, unity, and cultural identity. “It is incorrect to claim that the concept of Bharathamba was developed by any political or religious organisation,” he wrote, adding that the image had long been part of India’s shared heritage.

He defended the portrait displayed at the event — which featured a lion, saffron flag, and the Himalayas — as a widely accepted symbol representing strength, renunciation, and national unity. Citing the Madras High Court and the Constituent Assembly, Arlekar asserted that Bharathamba’s symbolism had constitutional and cultural significance.

Quoting Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr S Radhakrishnan, the Governor reminded that the saffron colour in the national flag stands not for any religious identity but for sacrifice, service, and detachment, and that these ideals form the foundation of India’s democracy.

Arlekar warned that the issue had now escalated beyond Raj Bhavan, with tensions spilling onto the streets and potentially affecting law and order. “The peaceful coexistence in Kerala must not be endangered by a non-issue,” he cautioned, adding that the Scouts and Guides in attendance had clearly understood the values Bharathamba symbolised through their daily pledge.

The letter marks the latest flashpoint in the ongoing friction between the Raj Bhavan and the LDF government, further straining relations between the Governor and the state Cabinet. Following the Raj Bhavan walkout, Minister Sivankutty, addressing a press conference, said he objected to the display of the image alongside the ceremonial lamp, arguing that the use of political or religious symbols in official functions violates the secular character of government programmes.

This is the second such incident in recent weeks. On June 5, during World Environment Day celebrations, Agriculture Minister P Prasad also walked out of a Raj Bhavan event, objecting to the display of a Bharat Mata portrait, which he claimed was part of RSS iconography.