Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi has selected a cartoon related to ‘Covid 19 and India’ for honourable mention that globally humiliates India and portrays the country as well as Hindus in a poor light. The cartoonist Anoop Radhakrishnan is a native of Ponnurunni of Kerala. Kerala has been consistently reporting high number of new coronavirus cases as compared to rest of the states, skewing the national average.
The state unit of the BJP has accused the Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi of selecting an ugly cartoon made in poor taste for honourable mention which actually humiliates the nation. Kerala state president of Kerala BJP K Surendran alleged that some people holding responsible positions are bringing insult and humiliation to their own country.
In fact, a few days back Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi had selected a cartoon by Anoop Radhakrishnan for honourable mention for the cartoon competition of the year 2019-2020. In the cartoon, India that tactfully and successfully controlled Covid 19 pandemic has been shown in a poor light. The cartoon depicts a global medical summit on Covid 19 with representatives of the USA, England, China and India sitting side by side. The Indian representative is depicted as a cow with an orange shawl draping it.
The selection depicting India in poor light despite managing to tackle the coronavirus pandemic quite well comes at a time when the nation crossed the 100 crore vaccinations mark.
“Those in power should take steps to check such injustice or else people will have to intervene to end it. Those who love the country would not have to think twice to oppose it,” BJP’s Surendran posted on Facebook.
The chairman of the Akademi Nemom Pushparaj clarified that an eminent jury consisting of well-known cartoonists had selected threes cartoons for reward. “Akademi has no role in it since it was an eminent jury which has selected the cartoon,” Pushparaj said.
Dinraj of Valapad won the prize for his cartoon titled ‘Raja and Maharaja’ based disinvestment of Air India. The awards carry Rs 25,000 and a citation each. Radhakrishnan and Ratheesh Ravi of Perumanoor were selected for honourable mention.
