The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council on Saturday demanded a ban on the play “Kakkukali’’, which it said hurts the self-respect of nuns.
KCBC deputy secretary Father Jacob Palakkapilly said in a statement that a meeting of the organization held under its president, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, had deplored the play’s “anti-Christian” content. “It is an insult to cultural Kerala. It is highly deplorable that the play, which insults the self-respect and confidence of nuns, has been included in the state government’s international drama fest and that communist organizations are giving huge publicity for the drama,’’ read the KCBC statement.
“Kakkukali” is a theatre adaptation of a Malayalam short story with the same title written by Francis Norona. Scripted by K B Ajayakumar, it is performed by the Alappuzha-based Neythal Nataka Sangham. The play tells the story of a Catholic woman from a coastal fishermen community who joins a convent and the challenges she faces in her monastery life.
The AIYF, the youth outfit of the ruling CPI, has come out in support of the play. It issued a statement in Thrissur saying the controversy over the drama was unnecessary and would help only to infringe on the freedom of expression.
The KCBC said, “It is objectionable to blindly promote the play that has supported baseless propaganda against the clergy. The cultural body of Kerala should be ready to realise the truth and react against this distorted work. The government should take immediate steps to ban this drama.’’
The bishops’ organisation said plays and literary works have clear social relevance and that such works have paved the way for reformation and social uplift. At the same time, it said, glorifying creative works that have “highly insulting content and distort history” cannot be allowed. Nuns in the country have a history of taking up the care of the weaker sections and abandoned people, said the KCBC.