• Source:JND
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Kerala Onam Controversy: As many as 27 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers were booked in Kerala’s Kollam district after they laid out an Onam ‘pookalam’ or floral carpet at a temple depicting the RSS flag, purportedly done to ‘honour Operation Sindoor’.
 
With authorities claiming that the laying down of the carpet allegedly violated a high court order and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying it merely intended to honour Operation Sindoor, the Onam Pookalam has sparked a controversy.
 
The incident occurred at the Parthasarathy Temple in Muthupilakk. A Temple committee member said that the floral carpet had an inscription of the RSS flag and Operation Sindoor. The committee member also informed that several clashes had occurred previously over the installation of flags at temples during festivals.
 
“To avoid such confrontations, we approached the High Court, which in 2023 banned any decorative items, including flags, near the temple compound. Despite this, RSS activists laid a floral carpet with their flag and inscribed ‘Operation Sindoor’ with flowers right next to the temple committee’s floral design. Since this violated the High Court order and could spark clashes, we filed a complaint. We have full respect for Operation Sindoor, but this is not as the accused are portraying it,” an office-bearer of the temple committee told news agency PTI.
 
A temple committee member, Asokan C, filed a police complaint for alleged violation of an order by the Kerala High Court. The floral carpet is part of the Onam celebration at temples.
 

BJP Calls Case ‘Shocking’

BJP, in a statement, described the case as ‘shocking’ as it lashed out at Kerala police for booking 27 RSS workers over the installation of the RSS flag on an Onam floral carpet. BJP state President, Rajeev Chandrashekar, asked whether Kerala was being ruled by Jamaat-e-Islami or under Pakistan governance.
 
"This is Kerala. It is a proud part of India. Yet, an FIR has been lodged for making a Pookkalam with the words "Operation Sindoor" in it. Absolutely Unacceptable!" Chandrashekhar wrote on X.
 
 
The Kerala Police have booked the accused under sections 223 (disobeying orders lawfully promulgated by public servants), 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), and 3(5) (criminal act committed by several people) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
 

Done To Invoke Political Riot?

The complaint also mentioned that a flex board of Chhatrapati Shivaji was also installed 50 metres from the temple. It was alleged that the action was intended to provoke a political riot between rival groups.