BJP Chief Accuses Kerala CM of Selective Secularism Over Kochi Cafe Row
· India · India Today, Hindustan Times
BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan of selective secularism after a controversy over Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi serving beef despite being named after the Hindu holy city. Chandrasekhar argued that respect for religious sentiments must apply equally, questioning whether the same tolerance would exist if a restaurant named after a Muslim holy site served pork. Police have registered a case against vlogger Amrit Singh Darren for alleged communal remarks in an Instagram video about the cafe. The BJP leader also criticised the Congress and CPM for their alliances with the Indian Union Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami, calling it decades of divide-and-rule politics. Chandrasekhar said he agreed with the principle of communal harmony but rejected its politically convenient application. The dispute has widened into a broader debate over religious sensitivity and political opportunism in Kerala.
Why it matters
The row sharpens the BJP's narrative against Kerala's ruling coalition ahead of elections, framing religious sensitivity as a political tool rather than a shared civic norm.
Read the original report — India Today
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