KANNUR: A caricature showing a couple having sex behind a seat in a cinema while the national anthem plays on the screen has kicked up a controversy with far-reaching consequences.
The caricature was published in the annual magazine of the Government Brennen College at Thalassery, one of whose alumni is the state’s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The students union of the Government Brennen College published the magazine titled Pellet to mark the 125th anniversary of the college.
Student parties are up in arms that the magazine insults the national flag and the national anthem.
The Kerala Students Union (KSU) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) have alleged that the college students union, led by the Students Federation of India (SFI), 'used the magazine to gain cheap political mileage'.
Following the controversy, the college has stopped the distribution of the magazine and a meeting of teachers has been convened to discuss the issue.
The students union of the Government Brennen College defended the magazine and its contents, saying that they were published in good faith.
Brennen College principal K Muralidhas said the union has given a clarification stating that the contents were being misinterpreted by a section of students.
Last year, Vishwa Vikhyatha Theri (literally, world famous swear) the college magazine published by the Zamorin’s Guruvayoorappan College in Kozhikode – the students union of which too was led by the SFI -- was caught up in a controversy for its alleged anti-Hindu remarks and “normalisation of crimes” by terrorists.
ABVP alleges treason by SFI
T’Puram: Reacting to the controversial content in the magazine of Brennen College, Thalassery, the ABVP on Wednesday said the portrayal of national symbols in the canvas of sexuality was equivalent to treason. The Sangh Parivar-affiliated student organsisation accused the SFI of creating controversies in a bid to gain attention in the wake of Communism losing relevance on college campuses. The ABVP also demanded stern action against those responsible for bringing out the “objectionable” content in the magazine.