Raj Bhavan Bharat Mata Image Row Resolved

Tension between Kerala's state government and the Raj Bhavan over the use of a Bharat Mata portrait and ceremonial lamp at official events has now been settled, with accommodation on both sides ending the standoff.

- HD Bureau

Both the Governor's office and the LDF-led government have taken steps to de-escalate, signaling a return to normalcy in protocol and restored working relations.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar's office has confirmed that, while the national personification of Bharat Mata and the ceremonial nilavilakku remain legitimate elements in official ceremonies, no portrait or lamp of contested iconography will be mandated at state-government programmes.

Instead, floral tributes will be made optional and entirely voluntary for those in attendance.