Don't lower standards of Raj Bhavan to that of RSS sakha: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor, should not be lowered to the standards of a RSS sakha.

The CPI(M) senior leader was reacting to the use of pictures of Bharat Mata with saffron flag as well as that of RSS leaders K B Hedgewar and M S Golwalker at the Kerala Raj Bhavan.

"Bharat Mata is not part of our Constitution. Moreover, the picture of Barat Mata with saffron flag used at the Raj Bhavan was one used by RSS. Governor Rajendra Arlekar seems to be convinced that it was not proper to use that picture during official functions at the Raj Bhavan and hence he decided to do away with it," Vijayan told reporters.

Flaying the display of pictures of Hedgewar and Golwalker at the Raj Bhavan, Vijayan said that Raj Bhavan being an important place as per the Constitution, only those pictures generally acceptable to all should be displayed there.

"Raj Bhavan should not be made a venue for implementing RSS agenda. RSS had opposed the Constitution and even wanted the saffron flag as our national flag. There seems to be an attempt to make RSS agendas official ones. Don't lower the standards of Raj Bhavan to that of a RSS sakha," said Vijayan.

The Congress had been accusing Vijayan of maintaining silence on the row over using the picture of Bharath Mata with saffron flag at the Raj Bhavan.