Kerala school students singing RSS anthem on Vande Bharat sparks political row; govt orders probe
The school principal defended the students, calling the song patriotic and denying any political intent, while also condemning the cyberbullying of the children. However, Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty ordered a probe, terming the act a violation of constitutional and secular values.
A video showing Kerala school students singing a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) 'gana geetham' (anthem) during the inaugural run of the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express on Saturday has triggered a major political controversy in the state. The performance took place shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flagged off the train.
The Southern Railway had shared the video on its official social media handles, but it was later deleted following widespread criticism — before being re-uploaded with an English translation of the lyrics.
School principal defends students
The students belong to Saraswathi Vidyanikethan Public School in Elamakkara, Ernakulam. The school principal, Dinto KP, defended the students, saying the song was patriotic in nature and "not sung on the directives of the Southern Railway."
"It is a patriotic Malayalam song. The children chose to sing it themselves. We don’t understand why the Education Minister has ordered a probe," said Dinto KP.
He added that the school had sent letters to the offices of the Prime Minister and the Union Railway Minister after the video was taken down. The principal also expressed concern over the students being targeted and cyberbullied as "Sanghi kids" on social media.
Kerala government orders inquiry
Reacting sharply, Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty ordered a probe into the incident, calling it a violation of constitutional and secular principles.
"Politicising children at government events and using them to promote the communal agenda of any group is a violation of constitutional principles," the minister’s statement said.
Sivankutty instructed the Director of Public Instructions (DPI) to conduct an inquiry and submit a report, emphasising that the state government was committed to protecting secular and national values.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams 'communal ideology'
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the inclusion of the RSS song, calling it a "blatant violation of constitutional principles."
"Including the anthem of an organisation known for its communal ideology and hate mongering in an official event is a blatant violation of constitutional principles," he posted on X.
Vijayan accused the Railways of being "subverted by Sangh Parivar politics", adding that all secular and democratic forces must unite to resist such attempts to communalise public institutions.
BJP defends the students
Countering the criticism, Union Minister Suresh Gopi defended the students' action, calling it an innocent act of patriotism. "They felt like singing that song, and they did so. Anyway, it’s not an extremist song," Gopi told reporters in Thrissur.
George Kurian, Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, also supported the students, questioning what was "communal" about a gana geetham. "Those who spread anti-India sentiments abroad may not like it, but there’s nothing wrong with the song," he said.
A political flashpoint over patriotism and secularism
The incident has once again brought the ideological divide in Kerala politics to the forefront. While the Left-led state government views the event as a breach of secular conduct, the BJP maintains that the reaction is an overreach against an innocent patriotic gesture.
As the probe unfolds, the controversy underscores the growing tension between cultural expression, political ideology, and secular values in India’s public spaces.