Noted writer Paul Zacharia on Tuesday questioned the need to provide senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit with ‘Y’ category security cover. He added that the move was nothing but a farcical act, one that is intended to create misconceptions among the public.
Speaking at a get-together of cultural activists organised to decry alleged fascist tendencies and express solidarity with litterateur M.T. Vasudevan Nair and filmmaker Kamal, Mr. Zacharia said the State was in the midst of a situation unimaginable until a few years ago.
“We have reached a stage where the freedom to express one’s views has been curtailed, especially if they contradicted with the stance of a certain section. The arrogance displayed by BJP leaders in hailing accusations against M.T. Vasudevan Nair and Kamal were borne out of the seemingly rising influence of the Sangh Parivar in New Delhi. Efforts to gain prominence by unleashing a wave of intolerance cannot be accepted in a State which has always upheld democratic ideals and communal harmony,” he said.
Blot on State
In his inaugural address, celebrated filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan said that the controversy surrounding Mr. Kamal was a blot on the secular image of Kerala.
“The issue has brought to the fore that the diversity of opinions that we have always sought to preserve is under threat from divisive forces,” he said.
Backing the views of MT and Mr. Kamal, Mr. Gopalakrishnan said that it was the responsibility of cultural activists to highlight the woes of the common man. No such person could be victimised for fulfilling what is expected of them, Mr. Gopalakrishnan opined.
Writer Perumbadavam Sreedharan, filmmaker T.V. Chandran, poet Prabha Varma, film editor Bina Paul, danseuse Neena Prasad, and social activist B. Ekbal were among those who participated in the public meeting.
