Attempt to Incite Riot Near Temple: Case Filed Against 25 RSS Workers

Kollam: A case has been registered against around 25 workers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for allegedly attempting to incite unrest at a temple premises during Thiruvonam celebrations in Sasthamkotta, Kollam. The incident occurred on Thursday evening, when the RSS members entered the temple grounds and created a pookkalam (floral decoration) that included their organizational flag, Operation Sindoor written with flowers and a flex board of Maratha king Shivaji.

This is a direct violation of a standing court order by the Kerala High Court that prohibits the use of political flags, banners, or any party-affiliated materials within the premises of the temple. The temple committee, anticipating issues based on similar incidents in previous years, had already allocated a specific area for pookkalam arrangements and had taken the initiative to avoid any political involvement this year.

However, on Thursday night, the RSS workers arrived at the spot allocated by the temple committee and forcibly occupied it. The temple authorities immediately reported the matter to the Sasthamcotta police, who summoned both groups and mediated a compromise. The police demarcated fresh boundaries for the pookkalam arrangements and issued strict warnings that no political imagery, symbols, or flags should be used.

Despite this directive, the RSS members went ahead with their original plan. They created a pookkalam that prominently featured the RSS flag and installed a flex board with Shivaji’s portrait. Therefore the temple committee had filed a fresh complaint and the police registered a case under the sections related to incitement, unlawful assembly and violation of judicial orders. 

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages thousands of temples across the state, has repeatedly warned against political gatherings, weapon drills, and the display of organizational flags—particularly by RSS affiliates—within temple boundaries. The Board's October 2023 circular banned all RSS activities inside temples and emphasised that religious spaces must remain politically neutral.

In April 2025, the TDB went as far as dissolving certain temple advisory committees in the Kollam region after RSS-linked songs and flags were displayed during festivals. These moves followed High Court directions and were aimed at preserving the sanctity of temple spaces amid growing concern over political encroachment.