‘No governor in title or content’: Cochin Carnival play censored after BJP protest

Kochi: The Cochin Carnival, the annual grand Christmas-New Year celebrations of Fort Kochi here, has landed in a controversy due to political reasons for the second year in a row. This year, a drama planned as part of the festival has invited the wrath of the BJP, leading to a censoring of it by the sub divisional magistrate.

At the centre of the controversy is the play titled "Governorum Thoppiyum" (Governor and the hat) which was scheduled to be staged by the Kochi zonal committee of Natak, a Left-leaning theatre group. BJP's Mattancherry mandalam committee lodged a complaint against the performance of the play accusing it of insulting persons occupying constitutional positions.

Based on the complaint, Meera K, IAS, sub divisional magistrate, on Friday issued an order stating that the title of the play should be changed. The officer also ordered that the term 'governor' should not be used anywhere in the play.

"It is also conveyed that there should not be any religious or political remarks, style of speaking or dressing or imitation of those in central or state government or others occupying constitutional posts in the play," the officer said in a letter to P A Bose, president, Natak, Kochi.

The play was scheduled to be performed on Friday. Natak office-bearers have, meanwhile, refused to make the changes. They said they will not change or revise the title and the content of the play. Their attempt is to stage it in the coming days with the permission of the state government.

The title and the perceived content of the play assumes significance in the wake of an aggressive fight between Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the ruling Left front in the state. Governor Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had engaged in a verbal duel recently after a protest by CPM's students' wing SFI against the governor.

The CPM and the SFI have been accusing the governor of trying to implement what they term the Sangh Parivar agenda in universities.

Last year also, the Carnival witnessed a political controversy as BJP staged a protest alleging that the face of the Pappanji figure installed as part of the event looked similar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pappanji is a Santa-like long-bearded figure distinctively designed each year by noted artists, often based on contemporary themes. The figure is set on fire on New Year night, marking the culmination of the carnival. The burning of the effigy is easily interpreted as a setting ablaze all the vices of the year just gone. The Pappanji face had to be changed following the saffron party's protest.