Hours after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to send an official letter to Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar about the use of the ‘Bharat Mata’ picture in official functions at the Governor’s residence, protests erupted when the Governor tried to attend a book release event at Kerala University.
The event was held to remember the hardships faced during the Emergency period in India. Trouble began when the picture of ‘Bharat Mata’ was placed on the stage. Hundreds of student activists from the SFI (Students’ Federation of India) gathered at the university gate to protest. BJP student activists also showed up.
The Registrar of Kerala University insisted that the event could not proceed with the picture displayed. Due to the protests, Governor Arlekar arrived an hour late after the police cleared the crowd and escorted his convoy.
Speaking at the event, Governor Arlekar recalled the Emergency days, saying,
“Emergency times were a dark black spot on our age-old democracy. All freedom was gone during that period.”
He added, “I was with my father in jail during that time. It was a period of brutalities as Indira Gandhi wanted to hold power till her last breath.”
Regarding the delay, Arlekar expressed disappointment over the protests and said,
“What happened now feels like an Emergency again. Why this intolerance? I do not want confrontation, but I will not compromise either.”
Former Kerala BJP president and ex-Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan criticized the university authorities and police, saying, “The Registrar and police tried to stop the event even though all protocols were followed and rent was paid. The ‘Bharat Mata’ image is a national symbol, used during the Emergency by all. There was nothing wrong in placing it on the dais to recall that period.”
He called the Registrar’s actions “a blot on democracy,” pointing out that the Governor is also the Chancellor of the university.
