Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 8: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sharply criticised Southern Railway after students were made to sing an RSS-linked “Gana Geetham” during the inauguration of the Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, calling it “a gross violation of constitutional principles and secular values.”

The incident occurred during the official launch of Kerala’s third Vande Bharat train, flagged off virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. What was intended as a milestone for the state’s rail connectivity quickly drew controversy after the song, described by Southern Railway on social media as a “patriotic number,” was identified as an RSS anthem.

Vijayan condemned the use of a government event to propagate the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, an organisation he described as spreading “communal hatred and divisive politics.” He said including the RSS-linked song “mocked India’s freedom struggle and secular national movement” and represented “a covert attempt to push hardline Hindutva politics under the guise of patriotism.”

“The Indian Railways, which once stood as a pillar of secular nationalism during the independence movement, is now being used to promote the RSS’s communal agenda. This is an affront to the very foundations of our Republic,” Vijayan said, urging citizens to recognise and resist attempts to undermine India’s secular character.

The Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, launched alongside three other new services from Varanasi, will cover 608 km in nine hours with 11 stops. While the launch was a key step in Kerala’s rail modernisation, the controversy over the song has overshadowed the celebration.

Following the backlash, Southern Railway removed images of the students singing the song from its social media accounts.