Nip hate and protect Kerala’s secular soul
Hate speech is a handy tool for politicians but a dangerous one to wield. Former MLA P C George has now landed behind bars for delivering hate-filled dialogues targeting Muslims. Two PFI workers were arrested recently on charges of indoctrinating and encouraging a minor boy to shout slogans warning of death to Hindus and Christians during a rally in Alappuzha. These are two of the latest instances in Kerala’s rising trend of exploiting communal feelings to further divisive agendas. In November last year, Pala Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt was booked for saying that non-Muslim youths in Kerala were being lured using ‘love jihad’ and ‘narcotic jihad’. Sangh Parivar leaders K P Sasikala and T G Mohandas, and Muslim scholar M M Akbar were also booked recently for provocative speeches.
While extremist religious elements are busy spreading hate, there have also been instances that stand testimony to Kerala’s track record in communal harmony and its secular character. Last month, the Vishnu Narasimha temple near Tirur in Malappuram district was in the news for hosting an Iftar party for Muslims. The media also reported about J R Ajith, president of a temple trust in Alappuzha, and Prabhakaran, a Malappuram-based Hindu businessman, who have been observing the Ramzan fast for years. These reflect the real soul of Kerala. After all, it’s a state where social reformer Sree Narayana Guru led a renaissance movement and preached ‘One Caste, One Religion and One God for Human’. Any attempt to corrupt that soul needs to be nipped in the bud.
What the government did in the P C George hate speech case and the Alappuzha hate sloganeering incident should be the norm. The Alappuzha case has also exposed how extremist groups have started indoctrinating children to serve their vested interests. The state has the right to stop attempts by religious organisations to corrupt the minds of kids. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s promise that his government wouldn’t allow Kerala to become a place where anyone can say anything should be delivered in letter and spirit to safeguard Kerala’s secular credentials.