KOZHIKODE: The cultural programme presented during the inauguration of the 61st Kerala School Arts Festival has landed in a controversy with IUML leaders alleging that event painted the Muslim community in a bad light.
The dance-drama showed soldiers overpowering a ‘terrorist’ who wore the headgear and attire used by Muslims and hoisting the national flag. IUML leader and former education minister P K Abdurabb, MLA K P A Majeed, and former Haritha leader Fathima Thehliya came out strongly against the event for allegedly promoting Islamophobia.
In an FB post, Majeed said that it not a coincidence that the progamme that has the theme of communal amity, fraternity and patriotism presented a terrorist in Muslim dress. “It is a reflection of Islamophobia,” he said. “The image will have disastrous effect at a time when the government itself is spreading the ideology of hatred,” Majeed said adding that the event was presented in front of the Chief Minister and other Ministers. Majeed demanded that government should take action against those who are responsible for the development.
Fathima Thehliya said the script of the programme must have been scrutinised by many in the programme committee. All those who okayed the video are responsible for the fiasco, she said.
Addressing a press conference, Muslim Youth League state general secretary P K Firos said it is highly condemnable that a cultural event became the platform for the propagation of the ideology of the Sangh Parivar. The programme was composed by a Sangh Parivar worker and those including the MLA and former MLA had seen the rehearsal. Firos demanded that the Education Minister should apologise and action should be taken against the persons concerned.