A talk on Operation Sindoor, organised by Kerala Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, has sparked a heated political debate, particularly due to the attendance of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue and editor of Thuglak magazine S. Gurumurthy has the lead speaker.
The session, which was themed ‘Paradigm shift from candlelight to BrahMos’, was chaired by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
‘Politicising the office’
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan condemned the event and slammed Raj Bhavan for politicising the gubernatorial office by inviting the RSS leader to speak at a function honouring the defence forces involved in Operation Sindoor.
The Congress leader also expressed concern over Mr. Gurumurthy’s political remarks, especially those allegedly made against former Central governments and leaders. “Raj Bhavan is not the platform for such political speeches. It is the official residence of the Governor. Inviting an RSS leader to speak at such an event, especially with remarks aimed at previous governments, is unfortunate and inappropriate,” Mr. Satheesan told mediapersons on Thursday.
While he did not oppose the event on Operation Sindoor, he emphasised it would have been more suitable to invite military experts or foreign policy specialists to speak on the subject. He also urged the State government and the Chief Minister to clarify their stance on the issue.
Rejecting the Opposition’s criticism, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V. Muraleedharan praised the Governor’s decision to invite Mr. Gurumurthy. He added that the era of using the Raj Bhavan for Congress’ internal political games is over. “The event organised with S. Gurumurthy as a speaker was a timely and appropriate one,” he said.
He further stated that Mr. Gurumurthy is not just a RSS leader, but a renowned thinker and economist.
Published – May 22, 2025 08:14 pm IST
