Kerala Chief Minister's Strong Condemnation
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has launched a strong condemnation against the Southern Railway for allegedly making school students sing a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) song aboard the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat Express train. The incident occurred on Saturday during the flag-off ceremony of the Ernakulam to Bengaluru service.
Constitutional Principles Violated
The Kerala CM described the inclusion of the RSS anthem in an official event as a blatant violation of constitutional principles. In a post on social media platform X, Vijayan expressed his outrage, stating that including the anthem of an organization known for its communal ideology and hate mongering in an official railway event was highly condemnable.
Vijayan specifically questioned the railway authorities' choice of song for what was supposed to be an official function. He also criticized their decision to share the video on social media handles, which he said exposed how eminent national institutions are being subverted by Sangh Parivar politics.
Railways' Response and Political Reactions
According to reports from news agency PTI, the Southern Railway withdrew the controversial social media post following widespread criticism. Television visuals had clearly shown students aboard the Vande Bharat Express singing the RSS song during the journey.
CPM Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas also joined in condemning the incident, stating in his social media post that the RSS Ganageetham formed an integral part of what he called the highly politicized inauguration of the new Vande Bharat service. Brittas accused Indian Railways of stooping to new depths by marking the announcement of new services with political fanfare while sidelining people's representatives.
The Kerala CM further elaborated that the Railways, once a proud symbol of India's secular nationalism, is now being used to sneak communal ideology into official functions. He called upon all secular and democratic forces to unite and resist what he termed as a dangerous move.
