Thiruvananthapuram, June 19 : Tensions between the Kerala government and Raj Bhavan escalated on Thursday after State Education Minister V. Sivankutty staged a walkout from an official event at the Governor's residence, protesting the display of a controversial RSS-style image of Bharat Mata.

The protest came hours after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the Kerala Raj Bhavan for allowing such an image to be displayed at a government function.

Speaking to the media, Minister Sivankutty said he had accepted an invitation to deliver the address at a certificate distribution ceremony organised by the Indian Scout and Guides. "However, upon arrival, I noticed that the Governor and others had lit a ceremonial lamp and paid floral tributes to an image of Bharat Mata, often associated with the RSS," he said.

'When my turn to speak came, I rose and began by expressing my strong protest to the Governor. I made it clear that such an image is unacceptable at a government function. This is a state-organised event, and the display of an RSS-style image is completely inappropriate. I then walked out in protest,' Sivankutty said.

He further clarified that if the image had been of Mahatma Gandhi or even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it would have been within acceptable norms.

'But this particular depiction of Bharat Mata, with clear RSS connotations, has no place in a government function,' he said.

Sivankutty accused Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar of attempting to turn Raj Bhavan into an 'RSS outlet,' claiming that the current Governor was showing more ideological rigidity than his predecessor, Arif Mohammed Khan.

'If this continues, the state government may have to consider withdrawing from all Raj Bhavan programmes,' he warned.

'I could have walked out with the children, too, but I refrained out of basic decency. Raj Bhavan is not private property,' he added.

In a statement, the office of Raj Bhavan said that the action of Minister Sivankutty during the function is a clear violation of established protocols and is viewed with utmost concern.

"His conduct at the event was not befitting of a Minister. He engaged in behavior that does not reflect well on his office," the statement read.

The Raj Bhavan further noted that, as per protocol, when the Governor is present, ministers are expected to arrive on time and remain for the duration of the event. However, Minister Sivankutty arrived late and left early, which is a breach of protocol.

Additionally, it was observed that the Minister's remarks were read from a prepared note, indicating that his statements were premeditated, the Raj Bhavan statement said.

This is not the first time the image has triggered controversy. Earlier this month, during World Environment Day celebrations, State Agriculture Minister P. Prasad skipped a Raj Bhavan event after learning that the same image would be displayed. The state government had hastily organised a parallel event at the Secretariat to avoid the clash.

Meanwhile, questions are being raised over Chief Minister Vijayan's statement on Wednesday night, where he claimed that the Raj Bhavan had assured him such images would no longer be used in government functions. The assurance, however, appeared to have been ignored on Thursday.

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan held the Chief Minister responsible for the latest incident.

'This controversy could have been avoided if the Chief Minister had taken a firm stand earlier. He should have strongly condemned what happened on Environment Day itself. His silence sent the wrong message, and now his statement from last night must be questioned,' Satheesan said.

As the controversy deepens, it has further strained the already fragile relationship between the ruling LDF government and the Governor's office, with both sides trading accusations over constitutional propriety and ideological imposition.

/IANS