Award to rape-accused bishop’s cartoon to go ahead

THRISSUR: Refusing to toe government line, Kerala Lalithakala Academy on Monday decided not to reconsider the controversial award to rapeaccused bishop’s cartoon. The joint meeting of the executive commitee and the general council of Lalitkala Academy decided not to reconsider the award decision.

Chairman of Lalithakala Academy Nemom Pushparaj said that the academy is with the decision of the jury.

“The award selection was the independent decision of the commitee entrusted with the task. Three top senior cartoonists selected the cartoon for award. The tradition of the academy is to accept their decision,” Pushparaj told media persons here ater the meeting.

Following intervention by Christian church, the state government had asked the Academy to reevaluate the decision to present the award to a cartoon with rape-accused bishop Franco Mulakkal as the subject. Minister for Culture AK Balan had assured that the decision on the award would be reconsidered.

The controversies erupted ater a cartoon with Christian religious symbol was selected for the award.

Though the functionaries of the state-funded Lalitkala Academy were appointed by the Let Democratic Front (LDF), the institution enjoys academic and administrative freedom. Kerala Cartoon Academy had then said that if shackles are put on cartoons, it will lose relevance.

The award-winning cartoon by KK Subhash titled Vishwasam Rakshathi appeared in Hasya Kairali magazine in October last year. The artist had intended the cartoon as a taunting political commentary on the controversy surrounding Bishop Franco Mulakkal whom the state police had charged with rape based on a complaint filed by a nun. The Church had opposed the cartoon in which Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal is shown holding a crosier with an innerwear at its end.

The government on Friday told the Assembly that it did not approve of the anti-christian imagery perceived by the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) in the cartoon. Minister for Culture AK Balan said the government endorsed the cartoonist’s right to creative liberty and freedom of expression.

However, the cartoonist had used visual symbolism that allegedly hurt the religious sentiments of believers. The government had hence requested the Academy to review the award.