Speaking to reporters at a press conference held in New Delhi on Saturday, Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, said that there was nothing wrong in following the lamp lighting ceremony at government functions.
He added that it was not a religious practice to do so.
“A lamp is not representative of any religion and there is nothing wrong in lighting the lamp during government functions,” Pinarayi said.
The CM’s statement comes days after PWD Minister, G Sudhakaran, raked up a controversy by stating that the ceremony should be done away with at government functions.
His comment had attracted much flak from the BJP and the RSS, with leaders accusing the government of being “anti-Hindu.”
Pinarayi Vijayan also said that he was not against Onam celebrations, and that his statements about the same in government offices were misinterpreted.
“I said that government offices should not be converted into a shopping market on the day of Onam. There are plenty of holidays on which they can go shopping,” he clarified.