Display of Hedgewar's poster during temple festival triggers fresh row in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Days after Palakkad Municipality witnessed massive protest over its decision to name an upcoming skill development centre to after Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS) ideologue K B Hedgewar, a poster of RSS ideologue exhibited during a temple festival at Kollam in Kerala has triggered a fresh row.

CPI(M) and Congress alleged that it was a violation of the high court order that temple festival venues should not be used for political propaganda.

The incident took place close on the heels of row over CPI(M)'s revolutionary song being sung at a temple festival and RSS's 'Gana geetham' sung at another nearby temple. All the incidents took place in Kollam district.

The state had recently witnessed a row over Hedgewar's name being given to a skill development centre being set up by the BJP ruled Palakkad municipality with private participation.

The latest row erupted during the Kollam Pooram festival of the Asramam Sree Krishna swamy temple on Tuesday in which elephants are paraded similar to the famed Thrissur pooram. The image of the RSS leader was displayed on one of the parasol along side the images of social reformers like B R Ambedkar and Sree Narayana Guru.

Youth Congress and DYFI have decided to file complaints against the display of RSS leader's image at the temple festival, citing a recent HC order, which had warned against using temple festival venue for political propaganda.