Kerala: Hindutva activists hound woman professor; Writer recieves threat from Muslim fundamentalists

Mumbai Mirror

Chennai: Extremities in the name of religion presented two instances in Kerala on Friday. While a assistant professor was hounded by HIndutva activists, a writer received threats from Islamic fundamentalists. 

 

MF Hussain’s Saraswati still raises the hackles of saffron outfits are evident by the way Sangh Parivar supporters chose to hound Deepa Nisanth on social media. Nisanth works as an assistant professor at Sree Kerala Varma College in Thrissur. From threats on assault, she even received messages warning her of an acid attack. Undeterred by the hooliganism, the professor chose to lodge complaint on Thursday against the misdemeanor with her. 

 

Following this, Thrissur West Police registered a case under several sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) including, criminal intimidation and intending to insult the modesty of a woman through word, gesture or act, besides under the Information Technology Act.

 

According to sources, the controversy was sparked by Hindutva supporters taking exception to a banner portraying MF Hussain’s Saraswati painting put up by the Students Federation of India (SFI) in the college campus to welcome freshers. 

 

Nisanth apparently backed the SFI on the banner issue. However, the banner was reportedly taken down following a police complaint. But, this earned Deepa Nisanth the wrath of Hindutva groups who morphed the Saraswati painting and depicted her nude pictures on Facebook. She retorted to this saying artistic freedom was permissible for myths not for reality. 

 

Meanwhile, in Kozhikode writer KP Ramanunni has received death threat purportedly from Islamic fundamentalist elements.

 

The police have registered a case and have started probing into a letter received by the writer six days ago. It is suspected that an article written by Ramanunni in a Malayalam daily apparently seeking to uphold communal amity and brotherhood has irked a few, who alleged that the article is intended to mislead innocent Muslims.

 

The letter demanded the writer to convert to another religion within six months or else face the same fate of professor TJ Joseph whose hand was chopped-off by a Muslim group.

 

It may be recalled that Joseph of Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district was working as Malayalam professor in Newman College, Thodupuzha in Idukki district. He had prepared Malayalam question paper for the internal examination for II semester B.Com students for the academic year 2009-2010. In the said question paper, one question contained some derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed following which some activists owing allegiance to Popular Front of India (PFI) decided to take law in to their hands and attacked the professor.