Kerala govt's order blocks RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat from hoisting flag on Republic Day

Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government issued an order which says only heads of department offices or education institutes can hoist the tricolour

Cochin: A day after reports of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat hoisting the national flag at a school in Kerala on Republic Day 2018 emerged, Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government issued an order which categorically stated that only heads of department offices or education institutes can hoist the tricolour. 

'The hoisting of tricolour will only be done by the heads of department offices and other educational institutions, health institutions,' stated a Kerala government circular dated January 17 on conducting of Republic day celebrations across the state.

Bhagwat was scheduled to hoist the national flag in a CBSE-affiliated school in Palakkad district on January 26.

On Independence Day 2017 too, Bhagwat had hoisted the Tricolour at a school in Palakkad. At the time, the Pinarayi Vijayan government had issued a restraining order.

"We condemn such brazen attempts by the CPI(M)-led government of Kerala to deny the basic civil right of celebrating Independence Day and their continuous attempts to poison the state of Kerala with divisive politics," RSS leader Manmohan Vaidya had said in a statement.

In October 2017, Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government cancelled the booking for an event where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was slated to deliver a speech. The move to cancel the booking was condemned by RSS but the auditorium authorities cited renovation and as the reasons behind the cancellation of the auditorium booking.