Row over displaying RSS founder’s image at Kollam pooram

Thiruvananthapuram: Days after the rendering of a revolutionary song of CPM at a temple sparked controversy at Kadakkal, Kollam, the display of the image of RSS founder K S Hedgewar during Kollam pooram, a local festival, created another row on Wednesday.
The image of Hedgewar was displayed along with the pictures of social reformers Sree Narayana Guru, Chattambi Swami, B R Ambedkar, among others. They were displayed by people sitting above as many as 11 elephants, paraded as part of the festival of the famous Asramam Sree Krishnaswamy temple.
However, Kollam Pooram advisory committee president B Suresh said that the committee was not responsible for it. "Two rows of elephants, 11 elephants on each side, take part in the pooram, which sees a competition between Puthiyakavu Bhagavathy temple and Thamarakulam Ganapathy temple. Since it is a competition, the items to be displayed atop the elephant would not be disclosed prior to the festival. The items are prepared secretly and they are displayed to mesmerise the viewers. It is yet to be known why the image of the RSS leader was displayed. We will convene a meeting soon to discuss it. Travancore devaswom board (TDB) has not queried anything on it so far. If an explanation is sought, we have an answer," Suresh said.
The temple which hosts Kollam pooram belongs to TDB but the other two temples are not part of it. The committee members of Puthiyakavu temple, which displayed the image of the RSS leader, were not willing to comment on it.
However, it was learned that TDB has sought a report over the incident from TDB vigilance, and action will be taken on the basis of the report.
On March 10, Kadakkal police registered a case against three persons for rendering a revolutionary song and displaying the symbols and flags of CPM and DYFI in the background during a musical performance at a temple festival at Kadakkal Devi temple.