RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat ignores govt order, hoists tricolour in school in Kerala

In another twist to the Marxist-right wing tug of war in Kerala, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat ignored a ban order of the district collector and hoisted the national flag on Independence Day at a school in Palakkad, 340 km north of the state capital.

Though the Karnakiamman Higher Secondary School had announced a couple of days back its plan that Bhagwat would unfurl the national flag, Palakkad district collector Mary Kutty restrained the school saying that it was not proper for a political leader to hoist the flag in a government-aided school. The Collector said the head teacher or a students' representative of the school can hoist the flag.

But Bhagwat, who began a two-day visit to Kerala on



Monday, simply brushed aside the collector's order.

The collector's message was delivered to the school by a tehsildar and deputy superintendent of police hours before the function which was scheduled for 9 am.

Ahead of the flag hoisting, the RSS and BJP strongly criticised the move and blamed the ruling CPI(M) for the diktat. They said flag can be hoisted by any citizen and restraining someone from this was a fascist move.

The RSS chief is visiting the state in the wake recurring clashes between left cadres and right wing workers. The Centre had rushed Union minister Arun Jaitley to the state earlier this month after an RSS worker was stabbed to death in the state capital.