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Clip of Kerala kids singing RSS anthem prompts govt probe
Kerala's education department probes students singing an RSS anthem on a train, with critics alleging misuse of students for political agendas.
The Kerala general education department on Sunday ordered a probe into the alleged engagement of students of a private school in singing the RSS “gana geetham” (anthem) on board the Ernakulam - Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express which was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
Soon after the inauguration, a purported video of the students singing the song onboard the train was shared by Southern Railway.
Though the post was withdrawn for a few hours following online criticism, it was reposted again.
General Education minister V Sivankutty termed the incident ‘extremely serious’ and said that he has asked the general education director to conduct a detailed probe and submit a report soon.
“Students being used for a political party’s communal agenda is a naked violation of Constitutional principles. The country’s biggest public sector firm (Railways) is also being misused for political and communal agendas. This is not acceptable. This is a bid to politicise our students,” Sivankutty wrote on Facebook.
The subsequent probe will examine whether the students being asked to sing the RSS anthem was a violation of the Kerala Educational Rules, said the minister.
At the same time, Dinto KP, principal of the CBSE-affiliated Saraswathy Vidyanikethan Public School in Elamakkara, told the local media that the students chose to sing a ‘Malayalam patriotic song’ on their own accord and were not forced by anyone, including Railway officials.
The school is run by the Rashtra Dharma Parishad Trust, which is affiliated to the Vidya Bharati, the education wing of the RSS.
Two union ministers, belonging to the BJP, defended the students’ right to sing a song of their choice.
“The group song was an outburst of youthful exuberance. The children did not sing a terrorist song,” said Union MoS Suresh Gopi.
George Kurian, his colleague in the Union cabinet, said the song mentions social reformers like Sree Narayana Guru and Maharshi Aravindan. “It projects national unity while celebrating the country’s diversity,” he said.
However, Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan demanded action against the school management for forcing its students to sing an RSS anthem at a government function. “Official government functions should not be politicised this way. RSS leaders can sing their anthem, not school students. The RSS anthem is not a patriotic song. We will oppose it,” he said.
