Guv Arlekar takes swipe at Kerala Govt over Ayyappa conclave; says ‘Guru Puja’, ‘Bharat Mata’ not political concepts

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM(Kerala): Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar has taken an indirect swipe at the LDF-led State Government over the recent global Ayyappa meeting held last week at Pamba.

Speaking after inaugurating the Navarathri Sargotsavam organised by Kesari Weekly at Kesari Bhavan in Kozhikode on Thursday, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said that people who have been opposing the state’s culture and indigenous traditions “pretend to be Sabarimala devotees.”

“The people who have been opposing our culture, people who have reservations or criticizing guru puja, people who are criticizing Bharat Mata they all pretend to be Sabarimala devotees. I don’t know from where this culture has come. I don’t doubt there were sanctity in their minds. If you really have that sanctity, if you really have that principles and bhaav in your minds come out openly and tell us,” he said.

“It has to be noted, we have to listen and we have to see what are these people in and why this is being done. Only for political convenience. Bharat Mata or Guru puja or all these things were not politically convenient for anybody. It is in our blood and thoughts and we are not politically motivated,” the Governor said in his address.

The Global Ayyappa Sangamam was held on the banks of the Pampa by the LDF government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on September 20.

The Kerala government introduced a module on Wednesday detailing the powers and duties of a Governor in the Class 10 Social Science textbook.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government in the state has often feuded with governors, including the current Governor Rajendra Arlekar and his predecessor, Arif Mohammed Khan.

Raj Bhavan had displayed the portrait of ‘Bharat Mata’ at official events. Arlekar had defended putting up the portrait amidst protests.

Also, Arlekar, in an address in July, had said that offering flowers at the feet of teachers is part of Indian culture. His response came in the wake of the State government criticising the feet washing rituals of teachers on Guru Purnima in a few Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools in the state, stating it was against democratic values. (ANI)