RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday unfurled the national flag at a CBSE-affiliated private school in Palakkad district, as part of the Republic Day celebrations.
Bhagwat unfurled the tricolour at the Vyasa Vidya Peethom Senior Secondary School, in Kallekkad in Palakkad, run by the pro-Sangh Parivar outfit Bharatiya Vidya Niketan.
The event, since it was scheduled, has been in the news because Bhagwat, in 2017, had defied a circular by the Palakkad district administration and unfurled the tricolour on Independence Day at a government-aided school in the district.
Friday's programme, attended by thousands of RSS workers who came in for a three-day event at the school, was held amid fairly similar circumstances.
The General Administration Department, in a January 17 circular detailing guidelines for Republic Day celebrations, had stipulated that the ceremonial hoisting of the national flag was to be done only by heads of departments, offices and educational institutions.
This time, however, the Sangh has been defiant by contending that the government circular is inconsequential at an event hosted at a private school under the CBSE.
In 2017, Bhagwat had hoisted the tricolour on Independence Day at the Karnakayamman Higher Secondary School at Moothanthara, also in Palakkad.
The event was held in defiance of a circular by the then district collector P Marykutty, which restricted organisational heads from unfurling the tricolour at government-aided schools.
The management of the Karnakayamman school is seen as being close to the Sangh. Late last year, the CPM-led state government had initiated action against the school management.
