A flex board of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan near a temple in Malappuram describing him as ‘God of Kerala’ has sparked a controversy after the picture went viral on social media.
“You asked who is God. The people said one who provides food,” read the flex board that had a portrait of CM Pinarayi at a Vishnu temple in Valanchery.
Authorities at the Pachiri Maha Vishnu temple said the board came up along the main road to coincide with the swearing-in of the second LDF government in May. While temple authorities said activists had put up the flex board, local CPM leaders said the party had no role in the incident.
Another flex board with pictures of CM and cabinet ministers installed alongside the main flex board read that places, where prominent temples were located, had “turned Red” this election. The flex was removed following the protest by the temple authorities whereas the local CPM leadership denied their role in the incident.
The second flex board had asked what further proof was needed in elections that the gods were Communists.
On Monday, the Supreme Court asked a petitioner to bring to its notice the cases registered and people arrested for allegedly pasting posters critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The court was hearing a case in connection with the vaccination drive against COVID-19. The top court said it cannot issue blanket orders to police not to register FIRs over the pasting of posters criticising the Centre’s vaccination policy.
