Including RSS Song in Christmas Event an Affront to Secular Values: John Brittas

RSS Song at Official Christmas Programme Violates Secularism, Says John Brittas

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Dr. John Brittas has written to Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, strongly opposing the demand to include the RSS song “Gana Geetham” in the official Christmas celebrations of the Kerala Postal Circle.

In his letter, Brittas objected to the request raised by a right-wing postal employees’ union, stating that the proposal amounts to a serious violation of constitutional secularism. He said the move was insensitive to the faith and sentiments of minority communities and undermined the inclusive character of official government programmes.

The MP pointed out that Christmas is a sacred religious observance and warned that introducing ideologically affiliated content into an official celebration represents an unacceptable intrusion of sectarian politics into a space meant to promote harmony and mutual respect. He said such actions erode the secular foundations of the Constitution.

Referring to the contents of the union’s letter, Brittas said its repeated invocation of “patriotism” as a justification was deeply troubling. He asserted that patriotism does not arise from allegiance to any ideological organisation, but from commitment to the Constitution of India, its secular ethos, and its promise of equality and dignity for all citizens. Equating patriotism with the symbols or songs of a particular ideological formation, he said, distorts the very idea of the nation.

Warning that permitting such a demand would set a dangerous precedent, Brittas described the move as an attempt to appropriate or overshadow a religious celebration with an unrelated ideological agenda. He urged the Union government to intervene immediately and issue clear directions to the Department of Posts, Kerala Circle, not to accede to the request.

He further stressed that no organisation, irrespective of its ideological affiliation, should be allowed to use government platforms to promote partisan narratives under the guise of patriotism.

The letter follows the demand by the Sangh Parivar–affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) to include the RSS “Gana Geetham” in the official Christmas programme scheduled to be held at the Thiruvananthapuram regional headquarters of the Postal Department, a move that has already drawn strong opposition from Left- and Congress-affiliated organisations.