Palakkad: A procession in Kerala’s Palakkad district displaying images of Hamas leaders during an annual cultural fest drew sharp criticism on social media. The banners, carried atop elephants by a group of youths, were part of the "Thrithala Fest" in Thrithala, Palakkad, on Sunday evening.
The participation of Congress leader and former MLA VT Balram has further fuelled the debate. The display of the images led to heated discussions on social media, with some alleging the event was linked to a religious festival and many questioning the organisers for allowing such banners.
However, a person, who is part of the organising committee and wishes to remain anonymous, accused a section of young people of attempting to trigger a communal issue over the procession, which is in no way connected to a religious festival.
In a Facebook post, Congress leader Balram criticised a section of the media for allegedly using the controversy surrounding the Thrithala Fest to target the Muslim community and Kerala, even at the national level. He stated that all Indians who are not affiliated with the Sangh Parivar support the Palestinian people and their aspirations for independence.
The Congress leader said that whether Hamas leaders should be glorified is a separate issue but condemned the Sangh Parivar for allegedly using the matter as part of an anti-Muslim hate campaign. "Thrithala will stand united against such divisive attempts," he wrote.
Clarifying the nature of the festival, he stated that 'Thrithala Fest' is an annual public celebration of the region, not a religious event linked to any mosque or place of worship.
He noted that the festival’s organising committee includes representatives from various religious and political backgrounds. Leaders from various parties, officials, and tourists regularly participate in the event.
He also mentioned that a festival supplement had included congratulatory messages from Minister M B Rajesh, MP Abdusamad Samadani, himself, the BJP constituency president, and others. This would serve as evidence that 'Thrithala Fest' is a national event rather than a religious gathering, he said. Meanwhile, the BJP on Monday demanded that a case be registered against the event’s organisers.
BJP state president K Surendran termed the incident "shocking" and accused both the ruling and opposition parties of appeasement politics. He also linked the episode to a past event where a Hamas leader allegedly addressed a gathering in Kerala.
The police stated that the incident took place within the Thrithala police station limits. No case has been registered as no complaints have been received yet, they said.
