Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty, under attack from the state Governor, hit back at him on Thursday alleging that Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar had violated the Constitution by turning an official function at Raj Bhavan into a political event.

The minister's attack came in response to the Raj Bhavan's statement accusing him of a protocol violation at an event attended by Governor Arlekar.

In a statement, the Minister also firmly rejected the remarks made by Raj Bhavan following the controversy surrounding his walkout during the event.

"It is the duty of every citizen to protect the Constitution and the democratic system it upholds," Sivankutty said.

“According to Article 163 of the Indian Constitution, the Governor is expected to act based on the aid and advice of the State Council of Ministers. As the constitutional head of the state, the Governor has an obligation to remain neutral and uphold the dignity of public events,” he added.

However, the Minister alleged that the Governor had used the official platform to convey a political message.

"By projecting an image that negates India's cultural diversity and secular values, the Governor has called into question his own constitutional impartiality," he said.

The Minister criticised the use of the Bharat Mata image, stating that it attempts to associate the idea of India with religious symbolism, thereby pushing nationalism into a narrow Hindutva framework.

He added that Article 51A(e) of the Constitution clearly outlines the duty of citizens to promote harmony and preserve the rich heritage of India's composite culture.

"My action as a Minister was not a violation of protocol, but a protest rooted in the constitutional oath I took to uphold the dignity of the Constitution," Sivankutty said.

Earlier in the day, Raj Bhavan strongly criticised Sivankutty for walking out of a public event while Arlekar was present on the dais, calling it a "serious breach of protocol and a grave insult to the constitutional office of the Governor." The Raj Bhavan issued the statement hours after Sivankutty walked out of a state government event at Raj Bhavan, protesting against the display of a 'Bharat Mata' image, based on a claim that it was widely used in RSS functions, during the programme.