THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tensions have been brewing across Kerala as the controversy over the Bharatamba picture in the Raj Bhavan has been taken up by student and youth groups. While the CPM's youth and student organisations took to the streets to oppose the governor, BJP organisations also took to the streets to protest against Minister V Sivankutty.

ABVP workers waved black flags at Minister Sivankutty in the evening at Tirumala. Minister Sivankutty's security has been increased considering the possibility of violence. ABVP has called for an education bandh in the state on Monday in protest against the attack on the ABVP state secretary in Thampanoor on Saturday night.

DYFI and SFI members confronted ABVP activists who had shown black flags against Minister Sivankutty on Saturday in Kozhikode, culminating in a major clash. SFI members had protested in front of Raj Bhavan on Friday. Former BJP state president K Surendran had criticized Minister Sivankutty in harsh language. Surendran's statement was that one should not scratch their heads with fire and that Sivankutty is not the old CITU goon, but an education minister.

The controversy began when Minister P Prasad boycotted the program at Raj Bhavan on Environment Day in the name of the Bharatamba picture. Minister V Sivankutty later boycotted the Scouts and Guides Puraskar distribution ceremony at Raj Bhavan. The Bharatamba controversy took on a more political hue when CPI State Secretary Binoy Viswam and CPM State Secretary MV Govindan approved Minister Prasad's action and Sivankutty's boycott.

On International Yoga Day, during the NSS Karayogam program in Mala, the office bearers stopped a Karayogam member who placed a picture of Bharatamba carrying a saffron flag along with a picture of Mannath Padmanabhan and expelled him from the program. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar warned that the CPM should remember that if it intends to suppress activists protesting in a democratic manner, the BJP is a movement capable of retaliating in the same coin.