A floral carpet created during Onam festivities at the Parthasarathy temple in Muthupilakk, Kollam district, has escalated into a controversy after 27 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists were booked by the Kerala Police.
Temple authorities alleged the design, which carried the words &ldquo;Operation Sindoor&rdquo; and the RSS emblem, was a direct violation of a 2023 Kerala High Court order prohibiting decorative flags or political symbols near the temple premises.
&ldquo;As per the High Court directive, no symbols or flags are allowed within the compound. But RSS workers went ahead and placed their floral carpet right beside the temple committee&rsquo;s own design. This could have triggered clashes. We respect Operation Sindoor, but this is not the way it should be represented,&rdquo; said Asokan C, an office-bearer of the temple committee.
The police confirmed that the case was registered based on the complaint, highlighting concerns that the move might reignite long-standing disputes over flag installations during festive seasons.
Meanwhile, the BJP strongly criticised the FIR, calling it &ldquo;shocking and unacceptable&rdquo;. State party president Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused the ruling establishment of bias, saying: &ldquo;This is Kerala, part of India, not under Jamaat-e-Islami or Pakistan. Filing an FIR for a Pookalam with &lsquo;Operation Sindoor&rsquo; is absolutely unacceptable.&rdquo; He further warned that the BJP would move court if the charges were not dropped immediately.
The floral carpet, part of the traditional Onam pookalam celebrations, has now become a flashpoint in Kerala&rsquo;s political and cultural debate, raising questions about the intersection of religion, politics, and court directives in public spaces.

RSS-linked floral carpet at Kollam temple draws police case and political storm

Kerala temple floral design sparks row

RSS-linked floral carpet at Kollam temple draws police case and political storm

September 7, 2025 | 15:24 IST