After BJP Kerala spokesperson Advocate B Gopalakrishnan told filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan to “go to the moon or some other planet” another top BJP leader has also come out criticising Adoor.
Kerala BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan, who also served as the former Mizoram Governor, on Friday told the media that it was not appropriate for people like Adoor Gopalakrishnan to use the “Jai Shri Ram” chants to condemn incidents of mob lynching in the country.
About 49 artists and intellectuals in the country, including Adoor, had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, expressing their concern over lynching of Muslims, Dalits and minority communities as well as the increasing intolerance towards dissent in the country. It also stated that “Jai Shri Ram” had turned into a provocative war cry.
On Thursday, Gopalakrishnan reacted to letter saying that who didn’t want to hear “Jai Shri Ram” chants should go to some other planet. The statement erupted into a controversy and leaders of CPI(M) and Congress party had come out giving support to Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
Kummanam reacted to this by saying, “Let him condemn the mob lynchings that are happening, but why should he relate it to ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants?” he asked.
“I do not understand the stand of people like Adoor Gopalakrishnan who are trying to communalise Ram. They should come out and give an explanation for this,” Kummanam said.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Kummanam also stated that he is not aware about the statement of BJP spokesperson.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also come out showing support to Adoor in the incident. Pinarayi said that nobody should think that those with dissenting ideas can be kicked out of the country. He also said that Adoor was a filmmaker who has made Kerala famous at an international level and an intolerant move against such a person should be resisted.