Thiruvananthapuram: A Congress leader from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram has weighed in on the huge controversy between the BJP's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the opposition parties. NS Nisoor has declared that the song at the heart of the controversy - Gana Geetham - is a patriotic song that has no link to the BJP's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
The RSS had taken up "Gana Geetham" as its anthem and the news that school children sang it during the inaugural run of the Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express on Saturday, has sparked a massive controversy.
The state's ruling CPM and the opposition Congress have found themselves on the same side for once. Both parties have condemned the choice of the song, saying it was using childrebn to play politics. The state government has ordered an investigation into the matter.
Singing a few lines of the song during an exclusive interview with NDTV, NS Nisoor said, "I am a Muslim. I am a patriot. I sang this song during my boy scout days".
"This song is about patriotism. How can a song that names Bhagat Singh, Ramakrishna, Narayana Guru and Jhansi ki Rani be an RSS song?" he said. The RSS, he added, "cannot claim it as their own".
Asked if he was not scared of deviating from the party line, he said, "I am a Congressman. This is my personal opinion".
Kerala's ruling CPM has condemned the use of the song at a government event, saying it is 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," said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
"By sharing the video on its social media handles, the railway authorities have exposed how eminent national institutions are being subverted by Sangh Parivar politics," he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Congress leader VD Satheesan has objected to students being made to participate in such an activity.
The school has denied the song was chosen by the railways. The children, it said, picked the song when they were asked by the media to sing a Malayalam song on the occasion.
In a press statement, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal condemned the decision to make students sing the song. He said the act was part of a "dangerous attempt to saffronise the country's public institutions" by aligning government events with RSS narratives.
He also criticised the move to post the video on the official Facebook page of Southern Railway, calling it "deeply unfortunate" and alleging misuse of government machinery.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi has said the song was part of the innocent celebration of children. "They felt like singing the song at the moment, and they did so. Anyway, it is not an extremist song".
