Kerala: Bharat Mata image sparks ideological clash, worsens governor-govt feud

Over the past fortnight, the image of Bharatamba Mother India—depicted in a saffron robe holding a flag, beside a lion and the map of what the RSS perceives as ‘undivided India’—has become the trigger for a row over constitutional protocol and ideological assertion. Two separate state functions, one on Environment Day and another one involving school students in the Scouts and Guides movement, have become flashpoints for a war of words and symbols.

First instance

The first of these events was held on June 5, when Raj Bhavan hosted the government’s World Environment Day function attended by school children, activists, and agriculture minister P Prasad. Behind the stage, along with the customary decor, was an image of Bharat Mata— the iconography long associated with right-wing nationalist narratives.

There was no formal unveiling, no overt reference to the image in the Governor’s speech, but a floral tribute sent ripples through Kerala's secular political ecosystem.

Also read: Why Kerala Minister walked out of Raj Bhavan event

'Imagery of Sangh Parivar'

Minister P Prasad, who also holds the environment portfolio, was caught off guard and cancelled the programme — a state government event originally planned at Raj Bhavan. The event was later shifted to the Secretariat, while the Governor went ahead with a parallel programme at Raj Bhavan.

Speaking to reporters, he underlined that there is no universally accepted or constitutional version of a Bharat Mata image, and certainly not one that includes a saffron flag. “Government events should not be converted into ideological platforms,” he said.

“There was no consultation, no transparency. This is not an agreed national symbol. This is the imagery of the Sangh Parivar.”

If the Environment Day programme served as a warning shot, the confrontation escalated further on June 19, when the Kerala State Bharat Scouts and Guides held their annual awards ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

Row escalates

Education Minister V Sivankutty, who was scheduled to preside along with the Governor, walked out of the event after noticing the same Bharat Mata portrait prominently placed on stage, this time adorned with a lamp and floral tributes.

According to the minister’s office, the display was not part of any official programme schedule and had been set up without prior intimation to the education department.

Also read: Kerala: Raj Bhavan slams minister's walkout as 'grave insult' to Governor

Sivankutty openly expressed his dissent and walked out of the event after delivering his speech — an act the Raj Bhavan later described as a serious breach of protocol.

Against Hindutva nationalism

Speaking to the media afterwards, he said he could not, in good conscience, remain at a function where a “symbol of religious nationalism” had been ritualised in an official setting. “A woman holding a saffron flag and portrayed as Bharat Mata is not an official symbol of this country,” he said.

“Its inclusion is a subtle attempt to replace constitutional nationalism with Hindutva nationalism. I should have taken the students along with me when I walked out, but I refrained out of courtesy."

Raj Bhavan reacted swiftly, accusing the minister of breaching protocol and walking out without informing the Governor.

The Raj Bhavan sources suggested the exit was premeditated and meant to provoke controversy, but according to them an escalation beyond the social media post is unlikely from the Governor.

Also read: No official version of Bharat Mata portrait, so cannot be allowed in govt events: Kerala govt

'Raj Bhavan not RSS shaka'

Far from apologising, however, Sivankutty doubled down, stating that such visuals had no place in a democratic and secular republic. He also said that the image was not incidental but part of an orchestrated effort to use state institutions to legitimise the cultural vision of the Sangh Parivar.

The comments made by both the ministers on the incidents echoed through the media and were later carried in the CPI(M) party organ Deshabhimani, which accused the Governor of turning Raj Bhavan into a RSS “shakha” .

“The Governor’s office is not the private property of the RSS,” the editorial thundered, warning that such acts were part of a broader cultural infiltration into the state’s political and administrative machinery.

Contested figure

Bharat Mata has long been a contested figure in Indian political iconography. Originally painted by Abanindranath Tagore in the early 20th century during the Swadeshi movement, the goddess was once seen as a spiritual metaphor for the motherland. But the iconography has evolved over time.

Under the influence of right-wing organisations such as the RSS, the image took on increasingly aggressive features—replete with saffron robes, armed postures, and territorial claims. In its modern avatar, Bharat Mata is often accompanied by maps of “Akhand Bharat” or undivided India, lion insignias, and visual elements drawn directly from Hindu mythology. This has rendered the image controversial in a country whose constitutional ethos fosters secularism and religious pluralism.

Kerala BJP hits back

The BJP, however, has seized upon the moment to rally support. State president K Surendran called the ministers’ reactions “an insult to Indian culture and national pride,” asking whether the LDF had now decided to oppose Bharat Mata itself.

“The Governor is doing his constitutional duty and connecting children with their heritage. Why does this bother the Communists so much?” he asked, announcing plans for state-wide campaigns to defend the image.

Within days, the controversy spilled into the streets. Activists from the BJP’s youth wing and the ABVP staged protests against Sivankutty, blocking his car in Thiruvananthapuram and burning his effigy in several districts.

Left-aligned student and trade unions responded in kind, staging protests outside Raj Bhavan and accusing the Governor of ideological overreach. The SFI and DYFI organised rallies carrying copies of the Indian Constitution, while the CITU warned that “no constitutional office in Kerala will be allowed to function as an RSS outpost.”

'Nothing political'

The Governor has so far maintained a studied silence in public, though officials close to him insist that there was nothing political about the Bharat Mata image.

“This is a cultural depiction that has been used for over a century. It does not belong to any one party,” a Raj Bhavan source told The Federal.

However, critics argued about the selective use of this symbol in recent months—particularly in school-related events—as evidence of an intentional ideological drift.

P N Gopikrishnan, Malayalam poet and a chronicler of the history of Hindutva politics, told The Federal, “After India gained independence, there was a message that Gandhi gave to the members of the first cabinet. He said that it is not the idea of Bharat Mata that should be upheld, but the concept of the poorest of the poor. The face that represents India should be that of the most impoverished person you’ve seen. That is where India must be uplifted from. Not through the romanticised idea of Bharat Mata. What was displayed there has nothing to do with Indian history. It is something created by a Hindu fascist organisation for a specific ideological purpose."

Gov vs state govt

This is not the first time Kerala has seen friction between the Governor and the state government. Under Arif Mohammed Khan, Raj Bhavan became the staging ground for multiple battles over university appointments, pending bills, and public statements critical of the LDF. But Arlekar, who was seen as less aggressive in his early days, now appears to be following a more assertive playbook rooted in his right-wing Hindutva ideology.

The LDF government is now exploring whether to continue participating in Raj Bhavan events if such symbolism persists. Meanwhile, the education department has announced that it will revise school textbooks to include lessons on the constitutional role of the Governor, in what is widely seen as a bid to push back against attempts to distort institutional balance.

The Bharat Mata image remains on display at Raj Bhavan, a quiet but potent presence in the hall where children gather, awards are handed out, and state ministers deliberate their next steps.

Whether the image will stay, or whether Kerala’s political fabric will once again assert its deeply ingrained secular resistance, remains to be seen. For now, the stage remains set—not just for a symbolic standoff, but for a battle over the meaning of what it is to represent the Republic of India.