Akademi to not reconsider award for cartoon on bishop

Kerala Lalithakala Akademi has declined to heed to Kerala government's directive to reconsider the selection of a cartoon depicting rape-accused former bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, for an award.

A meeting of the Akademi governing body held on Monday decided not to reconsider the award selection. Akademi Chairman Nemom Pushparaj told the media that the award selection was made by a panel of experts. The Akademi never interferes in the award selection, but only respects the selection. This has been the practice over the years. Hence there would not be any further review in the award selection, he said.

The cartoon courted controversy as it depicted Franco's cartoon character holding a stick with an undergarment on it in the place of a sceptre. It was selected for the best cartoon award of 2018-19 instituted by the Lalithakala Akademi, an organisation under the Kerala government for promotion of visual arts.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council alleged that the cartoon that hurt the sentiments of Christian believers was deliberately given the award as the ruling left-front in Kerala was under the impression that the Christian community did not favour them in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Subsequently, Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister A K Balan directed the Akademi to review the award selection.

The Congress party in Kerala has also taken a stand against the cartoon. The cartoon in question was the work of well-known cartoonist in Kerala, KK Subash who has won many awards over the last 17 years publishing cartoons.