Kerala CM Vijayan, oppn slam BJP leader for asking Adoor to 'go to moon'
A day after Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader P Gopalakrishnan asked renowned film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan to go to the moon for writing a letter to the PM against lynchings in the country, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and opposition leaders took exception to his remarks.
“The BJP leadership also comes out in support of such statements. This has been happening in other parts of the country. I would like to remind them that this plan won’t work out in Kerala,” Vijayan told the media after meeting Adoor. “We have seen how well Keralites were united and backed Adoor. I just want to remind them about that,” Vijayan said.
The chief minister said that “secular forces” would continue to defend the state which will always follow a distinctive culture. Vijayan said that Adoor has got the support of whole of Kerala. “I just wanted to reassure all the support to him,” Vijayan said.
P Gopalakrishnan had hit out at Adoor Gopalakrishnan, asking him to go to the moon or any other planet if he couldn’t tolerate those chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram’.
“If you are not keen to hear it (Jai Sri Ram), please register your name at Sriharikota and you can go to the moon,” the BJP leader had told Adoor in a sarcasm-laced post, adding that it will be better if he changed his name.
The BJP spokesperson had hit out at the auteur saying he was a respected filmmaker, but cannot insult the culture of the country.
The BJP leader’s outburst came after 49 eminent citizens, including Adoor, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern that ‘Jai Shri Ram’ had become a war cry with many lynchings taking place.
Rajya Sabha member MP Veerendra Kumar also condemned the BJP leader’s statement.
Veerendra Kumar said that mob attacks on minorities were on the rise and all those who believe in democracy are upset with the rising incidents of lynching in the country.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala also visited and assured Adoor all support.
The Malayalam film fraternity had rallied behind Adoor and condemned the BJP leader’s comments.
