Malayalam writer Chavara arrested for ‘insulting national anthem’ on Facebook

Kamal C Chavara, a Malayalam writer and theatre personality, had posted excerpts of his controversial book on Facebook that allegedly contained derogatory references to the national anthem.

The Kerala police on Sunday arrested Kamal C Chavara, a Malayalam writer and theatre personality, for allegedly insulting the national anthem.

Kamal C Chavara, a Malayalam writer and theatre personality, had posted excerpts of his controversial book on Facebook that allegedly contained derogatory references to the national anthem.(Facebook)

Chavara had posted excerpts on Facebook from his controversial book that allegedly contained derogatory references to the national anthem.

The Bhartiya Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, had filed a complaint against Chavara, citing his post on the social media website.

Chavara was arrested from Kozhikkode (north Kerala), where he had gone to attend a function.

The writer, who was planning to move the court for anticipatory bail before the arrest, defended his work, saying not a single word was intended to insult the anthem.

Later in the evening, Chavara was released on bail. He alleged that he was humiliated by policemen, though officials denied his charges.

The incident came close on the heels of the arrest of six people for not standing up when the national anthem was played before the screening of a film at the International Film Festival (IFFK) in Thiruvananthapuram.

Last month, the Supreme Court asked all cinemas to play the national anthem before a film is screened, a controversial decision that many say will embolden right-wing Hindu groups pushing a strident brand of nationalism.