A major controversy erupted at Kerala’s Sree Parthasarathy Temple in Muthupilakk, Kollam district, after 27 RSS activists were booked for creating a floral carpet (pookalam) featuring the words Operation Sindoor and the RSS flag during Onam festivities. This incident has drawn sharp criticism from Hindu groups and political parties, which is consistent anti-Hindu stances from the Kerala Police and state government.

Incident Details

A floral carpet was laid as part of traditional Onam celebrations by RSS workers on temple grounds. The design included both the RSS flag and the inscription “Operation Sindoor,” intended by the activists to honor the valor of Bharatiya armed forces. Temple authorities claimed this act violated a 2023 Kerala High Court order prohibiting any decorative items, including flags, near the temple compound to avoid previous conflicts over such symbols.

Despite assurances from RSS workers that no political symbols would be used, the committee filed a complaint. In response, Kerala Police registered a case under sections 223 (disobeying lawful orders), 192 (provocation with intent to cause a riot), and 3(5) (criminal act by several persons) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The FIR also mentioned the installation of a flex board of Chhatrapati Shivaji near the temple, allegedly intended to provoke rival political groups.

Political and Community Response

Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the police action, calling it shocking and suggesting Kerala was being ruled by forces antagonistic to Hindu interests. State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated that penalizing an Onam pookalam with “Operation Sindoor” was insulting to Bharatiya soldiers and their sacrifices. Party IT Cell head Amit Malviya stated this reflected a broader trend of appeasement of one section over another, and accused the Left government of hypocrisy in its approach to free speech.

The BJP and RSS have consistently pointed to such actions as troubling examples of increasingly anti-Hindu bias in Kerala’s governance and policing.

Other Notable Instances of Anti-Hindu Stance

These events are not viewed in isolation. From a Hindu perspective, they form part of a pattern:

• Musical Orchestra Booked for RSS Song: In April, a music group was booked for performing RSS Gana Geetham at a temple event in Kollam.
• Restrictions on Flags and Saffron Pillars: Temple boards and police have acted to remove saffron flags and décor that are viewed as political or communal symbols at Hindu temples, while similar scrutiny is often not applied to other community festivals.
• Limits on Religious and Political Symbols: Kerala High Court and temple boards have set strict bans on religious/political symbols at festivals like Thrissur Pooram, actions supported by state ministers even as left-wing and minority celebrations encounter fewer barriers.
• Secularization of Hindu Festivals: There has been an effort to recast festivals such as Onam as purely secular or “state festivals,” obscuring their Hindu foundations and Vishnu-centric narrative.
• Selective Law Enforcement: FIRs and police actions are frequently reported against Hindu groups for festival-related activities, with critics alleging a double standard when compared to other communities.

Historical Context and Civilizational Concerns

Hindu organizations argue these patterns reflect a deeper struggle for cultural and civilizational recognition. Kerala’s left-oriented governance and police, demonstrate recurrent disregard for Hindu symbols and traditions, sometimes labeling patriotic or religious expressions as provocative or riot-inducing.

The response from Hindu society stresses a civilizational imperative: the need to defend, preserve, and openly celebrate Hindu symbols and narratives without administrative or political interference.

Concluding Remarks

The Sree Parthasarathy Temple incident, along with similar actions, has galvanized broader Hindu concerns about erasure and sidelining of their traditions under the guise of law and secularism. Kerala’s governance and police are increasingly unsympathetic to Hindu expressions, particularly in public religious spaces.

From a Hindu point of view, it is essential to uphold and restore the paramount civilizational imperative—the unimpeded flourishing of Hindu ritual, patriotic remembrance, and cultural identity, free from selective censorship or hostile administrative actions.