Pinarayi Vijayan defends Minister V. Sivankutty on latter's walkout from Raj Bhavan
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly defended Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty's decision to walk out of a Raj Bhavan event on June 19 in protest against the display of an image of saffron-flag holding Bharat Mata.
The Minister has done nothing wrong, and he had no intention to disrespect the Governor, Mr. Vijayan said in a strongly-worded letter to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
Mr. Sivankutty has merely responded the way a Minister should on seeing a flag and symbol not mandated by the Constitution at an official function. His action is befitting of a Minister who has taken the oath of office under the Constitution, Mr. Vijayan said.
Raj Bhavan's stance
The Minister had walked out during the award distribution related to the Kerala State Bharat Scouts and Guides Rajya Puraskar. Raj Bhavan had termed the Minister's action 'a gross violation of protocol and a grave insult to the office of the Governor.'
In his letter to the Governor, the Chief Minister added that only national symbols and flag mandated by the Constitution should be displayed at official functions at Raj Bhavan.
Earlier in June, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad had skipped the World Environment Day celebrations at Raj Bhavan following the display of the Bharat Matha motif at the event. More recently, the State Cabinet had also drawn the Governor's attention to protocols governing ceremonial and officials functions at Raj Bhavan.
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