Kerala govt orders probe into children singing RSS song onboard newly inaugurated Vande Bharat

The Kerala government on Sunday ordered a probe into the singing of an RSS song by school students onboard the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat Express from Ernakulam to Bengaluru, even as union ministers strongly justified the incident, saying it is a patriotic song.

General Education Minister V Sivankutty instructed the Director of Public Instructions (DPI) to conduct inquiry and submit a report in this regard. In a statement issued by the minister's office, Sivankutty said the government views the incident with utmost seriousness.

The opposition Congress continued to slam the incident and demanded action against the school authorities for allowing children to be used for ''communal purpose''.

However, the school management strongly defended the act of children singing the particular song, saying that its message is ''unity in diversity'' They also sought to know what was communal about it.

Announcing the probe, Sivankutty said politicising children at government events and using them to promote the communal agenda of any particular group is a violation of constitutional principles.

''The Director of Public Instructions (DPI) has been directed to immediately conduct an inquiry and submit a report,'' he said.

The inquiry would examine whether there were any lapse in making students participate in the official event, he said adding that appropriate further action would be taken based on the findings in the report.

The government has a responsibility to uphold the secular and national values of the country and steps will be taken to ensure that these principles are protected, Sivankutty added.

However, Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday justified the students singing RSS song onboard the newly inaugurated train. It was part of the innocent celebration of children, he told reporters in Thrissur.

''They felt to sing that song at the moment and they did so. Anyway, it's not an extremist song,'' the union mister of state for petroleum, natural gas and tourism added.

George Kurian, another union minister from the state, also strongly defended the singing of RSS song and asked what is communal in a 'gana geetham''.

He also said those who try to propagate anti-India sentiments abroad may not like the song.

Justifying the rendition of the song by the students, Dinto K P, the principal of Saraswathi Vidyanikethan Public School in Elamakkara, said it as a patriotic song.

He said it was not sung as directed by the Southern Railway but children chose to sing it themselves as a Malayalam patriotic song.

The principal also admitted that the school authorities had sent letters to the office of Prime Minister and Union Railway Minister when the video of the song was removed from the X handle of the Southern Railway following the row.

The Southern Railway might repost the video later in the day because of the school's request, he said.

''We don't know why did the state Education Minister has ordered a probe into the matter. We will think about going legal way if the General Education Department goes ahead with its action,'' he added.

Dinto also said the children, who sung the song, are largely being subjected to cyber bullying and branded as ''Sanghi kids'' on social media platforms.

While CPI (M) general secretary M A Baby termed the incident as a ''challenge to the democracy'', Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan cited it as yet another example of the BJP's attempt to communslise Kerala.

''At an official function, children were made to sing the RSS gana geetham. Action must be taken against the school that allowed this. Who decided to use children for communal purposes?'' Satheesan said.

Official functions should not be politicised, he said adding that if the RSS wants to sing its gana geetham, let it's members do it themselves, he said.

''Politicisation will not be allowed at the expense of the public. How can the RSS gana geetham be called a patriotic song?'' the LoP asked.

The probe ordered by the state government and the strong remarks by leaders came a day after the singing of an RSS song by a group of school students onboard the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat Express had drawn sharp reactions in Kerala.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday condemned the reported act of the Southern Railway, saying it deserves to be protested.

He had said that including the song of the RSS, which allegedly constantly spreads anti-religious hatred and communal divisive politics, in the official programme of the government is a violation of constitutional principles.

LoP Satheesan had also spoken on the same lines and said that making students sing the RSS song as part of a government programme was ''illegal and undemocratic''.

The Southern Railway had earlier reportedly withdrew the social media post following widespread criticism against it.

On later Sunday, the Southern Railway again posted on social media platform 'X' the video of the song by the students along with its English translation.

''The students of Saraswathi Vidyalaya beautifully performed their school song during the inaugural run of the Ernakulam Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express,'' it had said in the 'X' post.