‘Dangerous’: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams Railways over ‘RSS song’ at Vande Bharat event
Students of a Kerala school in the Vande Bharat train on Saturday Photograph: (Screengrab from video on X)
Last month, CM Vijayan drew a parallel between the RSS and Zionists in Israel, calling them twin brothers who might agree on many things. He criticised the Centre’s decision to commemorate the RSS centenary and said issuing a postage stamp and Rs 100 coin is a grave insult to our Constitution
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed Southern Railway on Saturday after school students sang the RSS Gana Geet at the inauguration of the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat service. He called the act a violation of constitutional principles and accused the Railways of promoting communal politics. The incident at a government event drew sharp criticism from Vijayan, who raised concerns over maintaining religious and political neutrality in official programmes. “The act of the Southern Railway, which made students sing the RSS Gana Geet during the inauguration of the Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat service, is extremely protestable,” CM Vijayan said, describing it as “unacceptable” and calling for protest.
“The inclusion of the RSS song, which constantly spreads hatred against other religions and communal divisive politics, in the official programme of the government is a violation of constitutional principles,” he said.
The CM claimed that such actions undermine the secular character of government events. “The inauguration ceremony of Vande Bharat witnessed the sneaking of extreme Hindutva politics. Behind this was a narrow political mindset aimed at destroying secularism,” he said.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader KC Venugopal said that he had written to the Railway Minister, demanding an explanation for why school students were asked to sing the RSS song at the launch event.
“It is an insidious attempt to slowly convert India from a Constitutional Republic to an RSS-controlled autocracy. Such acts of propaganda undermine the Constitution’s secular values and the dignity of our institutions,” he added.
Last month, CM Vijayan drew a parallel between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Zionists in Israel, calling them “twin brothers who might agree on many things.”
Vijayan criticised the Centre’s decision to commemorate the RSS centenary and said issuing a postage stamp and a Rs 100 coin is a grave insult to our Constitution.
Can’t our children sing patriotic songs? School writes to PM
Meanwhile, the school’s principal Dinto KP wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and clarified that it was a patriotic Malayalam number titled “Paramapavitramathamie Mannil Bharathambaye Poojikkan” and contained no words challenging the secular fabric or national unity of the country.
The letter asked whether the students were wrong to sing a patriotic song. “Our humble question is: Can’t our children sing a patriotic song that praises our motherland? Such actions discourage the spirit of nationalism among young minds.”
Trending Stories
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Principal Dinto KP pointed out that Southern Railway’s official X handle deleted the post “after two Malayalam news channels, 24 News, and Media 1, criticised the song as being associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.”
The song contains no words or sentiments against secularism or national unity. It only expresses reverence towards Bharat Mata and pride in our nation, the letter read.
