The college magazine of Government Brennen College, Thalassery, has kicked up a row with the BJP and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) alleging that the magazine had obscene images and derogatory references to the national flag and the national anthem.
The magazine, edited by SFI activist Athul Rameshan, drew the ire of the BJP and the ABVP as it allegedly carried an illustration showing a man sexually abusing a woman, with an empty cinema hall and its screen with the fluttering national flag in the background. The magazine contains another illustration of a penis apparently referring to the recent incident of a young woman cutting off a godman’s genital organ when he allegedly tried to sexually abuse her.
BJP State general secretary K. Surendran said the party would resort to legal action as the magazine contained seditious images. At a press conference here on Wednesday, he alleged that the college magazine had defamed the national anthem and the flag. He demanded that the college authorities immediately withdraw the magazine. Those behind the magazine should apologise for hurting the national sentiments, he said adding the party would resort to agitation if they fail to do so.
When contacted, college Principal K. Muralidas told The Hindu that he had called a meeting to sort out the issue. While the SFI was prepared to remove the controversial pages from the magazine, the ABVP demanded total withdrawal of the magazine, which the SFI opposed, he said. As he was posted as Principal of the college just two months ago, he was not involved in the editorial board of the magazine, he added.
Terming the controversy over the illustration and content in the magazine unnecessary, college magazine's staff editor K.V. Sudhakaran said they were misinterpreted. The caricature of sexual abuse, according to students behind the magazine, just showed an empty theatre where the national anthem is playing, while a woman is being sexually abused on the streets, he said adding that it was misinterpreted as a woman being abused when the national anthem is playing.
