The controversy over an art exhibition at Chennai's prestigious Loyola College appears to be continuing. Hours after Loyola College apologised for displaying paintings that offended sensibilities of supporters of some Hindu rightwing groups, a senior BJP leader on Tuesday took issue with the nature of the apology.
BJP national secretary H. Raja posted a series of tweets on the art exhibition at Loyola College. Outrage erupted on social media after users started sharing images from the Loyola College art exhibition, which purportedly showed derogatory drawings of Bharat Mata, in the context of the MeToo movement, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Loyola college has not apologised. One temporary employee Kaleeswaran has given the letter in plain paper. Doesn't the college got letter head. Why the principall has not apologised. Our people were there by 6.00 p m. The banners were not removed till the programme was over. https://t.co/dVxW8SOPAq
— H Raja (@HRajaBJP) January 22, 2019
In one tweet, Raja asked why the apology letter was printed on “plain paper” and did not have the Loyola College letterhead. Furthermore, Raja asked why the principal of Loyola College had not apologised, noting that a “temporary employee” had given the letter. The Loyola College apology letter carried the name of Dr Kaleeswaran, who was described as coordinator of the arts and literary unit.
Raja also rejected calls by social media users to consider as closed the controversy related to the Loyola art exhibition in the wake of the apology. Raja alleged the offensive banners had not been removed.
Responding to a tweet from a journalist, Raja declared, “There is limit for everything. Bharat matha is depicted as me too. Is it not an anti national act. They have not removed those banners as they claimed. My people were there till the end. They kept quiet since I promised legal action. When the [apology] claim is false and how can we accept it.”
Yesterday it was St.Joseph of Trichy. Today it is Loyola of Chennai. I am shocked why these people are always the apologists of anti hindu forces. https://t.co/dbjZbggkIM
— H Raja (@HRajaBJP) January 22, 2019
Raja also referred to those social media users who wanted the matter to be treated as closed as “apologists for anti-Hindu forces”. Raja tweeted, “Yesterday it was St.Joseph of Trichy. Today it is Loyola of Chennai. I am shocked why these people are always the apologists of anti hindu forces.”
On Monday, Raja had warned of protests by the BJP against Loyola College over the two-day exhibition, which was organised on January 19-20. Raja lodged a complaint against the event with the state DGP.
In November, Raja had demanded the cancellation of a seminar on harassment of women at St. Joseph's College in Tiruchirappalli; the college subsequently called off the seminar.
