Mookambika temple visit ‘my personal right, not soft Hindutva’, says Kerala CM V.D. Satheesan
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan defended his visits to the Mookambika temple against accusations of 'soft Hindutva' from political opponents. He asserted that his religious practices are a personal constitutional right and not a political statement.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing debate in Indian politics regarding the intersection of personal faith, secularism, and political identity.
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) rejected allegations of pursuing “soft Hindutva” over his recent visit to the Kollur Mookambika temple in Karnataka , asserting that his faith was a personal matter protected by the Constitution.
Responding to questions at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Satheesan said he has been visiting the Karnataka temple for the past 37 years and that branding him a “soft Hindutva” leader on that basis was baseless.
“When I go to the Mookambika temple, it is my personal right. I have the constitutional right to believe in God. How can that be called soft Hindutva?,” he asked.
The Chief Minister said he had been visiting the temple since the 1990s and described himself as a devotee of the presiding deity there.
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