The simmering row between Kerala’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the Governor’s office escalated on June 19, 2025, after Education Minister V Sivankutty staged a walkout from a Scouts and Guides event at the Raj Bhavan. The flashpoint: a prominently displayed image of Bharat Mata carrying a saffron flag, a symbol widely linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The event, co-hosted by the state government and the Governor's office, sparked controversy when Sivankutty, who also heads the state’s Scouts and Guides—objected to the image, stating that such symbols had no place on official platforms. According to the minister, the portrait was not listed in the programme and he had received prior assurance that it would not be displayed. In his presidential address, Sivankutty used the stage to lodge a formal protest, arguing that national figures like Mahatma Gandhi or the Prime Minister were more appropriate choices for official ceremonies.
This isn’t the first time the government has taken issue with the image. Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister P Prasad boycotted a Raj Bhavan event under similar circumstances. The state government later clarified that their objection was not to the figure of Bharat Mata itself, but to versions that feature a saffron flag—viewed as a politically charged symbol.
In response to the earlier incident, the Governor’s office had agreed to display a version of the image bearing the national tricolour at select events. However, Governor Rajendra Arlekar has remained defiant, insisting there would be “no compromise” on the matter. The Raj Bhavan also criticised Sivankutty’s latest walkout, calling it a “serious breach of protocol” and disrespectful to the Governor’s office.
With both sides refusing to budge, the standoff has added fuel to the ongoing political friction between Kerala’s LDF government and the Governor, with cultural symbolism becoming the latest battlefield.