A college in Kerala has triggered a controversy by allegedly portraying Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bad light in their institute's magazine.
Litsokniga –2012-13 magazine, published by the Government Polytechnic College in Kunnamkulam, Thrissur district, has compiled a list of 13 people under the section of "Negative Faces."
Narendra Modi's picture features in the list along with the photos of other people including former American President George Bush, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, Sandalwood smuggler Veerappan, Al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden, militant Ajmal Kasab. To look at the magazine, click HERE.
A complaint was filed by Yuva Morcha state vice-president Aneesh Kumar and BJP district vice-president Aneesh E. Acting on the complaint, the police booked cases against seven persons including four students, principal of the institute, magazine's staff editor and the owner of a printing press.
The case was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 120 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment), 153 (indulge in wanton vilification or attacks), 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), reported the Times of India.
The magazine was published by the college union controlled by the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of CPI (M). It was compiled and designed last year, but was published in February this year and was circulated among the students only last week.
Baburaj, Principal in-charge of the institute, told Deccan Herald that the college authorities did not notice the section that created the controversy. Following the controversy, the institute has decided to withdraw the circulation of the magazine.
"The magazine was released on 21 February itself but it was circulated among students only last week. Since the content has now led to a controversy, we have decided to withdraw the magazine," Baburaj told the news daily on Tuesday. The college officials have also decided to take action against the students.
Meanwhile, local BJP workers staged a protest march in Thrissur and burnt copies of the magazine. They also demanded the state government to take appropriate steps against the people for the 'defamatory' portrayal of the Prime Minister.
District Rural SP N Vijayakumar told the New Indian Express that the cops will carry out a detailed inquiry to find out whether those involved with the magazine did it intentionally or not.
