By Admin 
The Kerala government on Sunday ordered an inquiry into the alleged act of Southern Railways in making school students sing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) songs in the train after the inauguration of the Ernakulam to Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express.
General Education Minister V. Shivankutty has directed the Director of Public Instruction (DPI) to investigate and submit a report in this regard. According to a statement issued by the minister’s office, Shivankutty said that the government is taking the incident extremely seriously.
Kerala Education Minister ordered investigation
He said that politicizing children in government programs and using them to promote the communal agenda of a particular group is a violation of constitutional principles. The minister said, ‘The Director of Public Instruction (DPI) has been directed to immediately conduct an investigation and submit a report.’ He said that further appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the report.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi also reacted
Sivankutty said it is the government’s responsibility to maintain the secular and national values of the country and steps will be taken to ensure that these principles are protected. However, Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday justified the singing of RSS songs by students in the new train. He told reporters in Thrissur that this was part of the innocent celebration of the children.
The Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism said, ‘He felt like singing that song at that time and he sang it. Anyway, this is not an extremist song. A group of school students sang an RSS song in the Vande Bharat Express on Saturday, which triggered a sharp reaction in Kerala.
Kerala CM Vijayan had criticized
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had criticized Southern Railway regarding this. He had said that inclusion of the RSS song, which allegedly continuously spreads communal divisive politics, in the official program of the government is a violation of constitutional principles.
The Chief Minister had said that it was unacceptable for the Sangh Parivar to use the Railways for its alleged communal political propaganda. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly VD Satheesan had also said that making students sing RSS songs at government programs was ‘illegal and undemocratic’.
Railways shared the video of students
Southern Railway had reportedly removed this social media ‘post’ after criticism. Southern Railway re-posted the video of the song sung by the students and its English translation on social media platform ‘X’ on Sunday and wrote, ‘Students of Saraswati Vidyalaya gave a spectacular rendition of their school song during the inauguration of Ernakulam Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express.’