A case was filed after temple authorities raised concerns that a floral carpet depicting the RSS flag violated a high court order.
A ‘pookalam’ (floral carpet) laid at the Parthasarathy temple in Muthupilakk, Kollam, as part of Onam festivities, led to the booking of 27 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists.
According to a temple committee member, the design included the RSS flag and the inscription “Operation Sindoor.” He noted that frequent conflicts had previously occurred over flag displays during festivals. To avoid such confrontations, the committee had petitioned the High Court, which in 2023 banned decorative items—including flags—near the temple premises. Despite this, activists laid out the floral design adjacent to the committee’s own floral arrangement, prompting the committee to file a complaint, stating: “We have full respect for Operation Sindoor, but this is not how it should be portrayed.”
Kerala Police filed the case at the request of Asokan C, an office bearer of the temple committee, citing violation of the High Court directive.
The BJP slammed the police action as “shocking.” The state party president criticized the FIR, questioning whether Kerala was governed by Jamaat-e-Islami or under Pakistan, and warned they would seek court intervention if the FIR was not withdrawn. He contended that “Operation Sindoor” symbolized the strength and valor of the armed forces, and said legal action against it insulted every soldier. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT Cell, accused the authorities of acting out of “appeasement,” saying: “This isn’t Pakistan. This is Kerala under Left rule, where even flowers with patriotic messages are treated as a threat.”
The FIR invoked sections 223 (disobedience of lawful orders), 192 (provocation with intent to cause riot), and 3(5) (criminal act by several people) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It also mentioned a flex board with an image of Chhatrapati Shivaji placed about 50 meters from the temple, alleging the intent was to incite a clash between opposing political groups.
