No sedition case likely against Kerala writer for national anthem post: police

Kochi: Sedition charges against Kerala writer and theatre activist Kamal Chavara may be dropped, the police said on Tuesday.

According to a report in NDTV, Chavara, who was arrested two days ago over a Facebook post that was allegedly disrespectful to the national anthem, started a hunger strike on Monday night.

"He was being questioned for a complaint. In my experience sedition case won't stand. To change the section we have to inform the court and that process in on," a senior police officer was quoted as saying.

Read: Malayalam writer Kamal C Chavara in custody for ‘insulting’ national anthem

The Malayalam writer and theatre artist was arrested on Sunday by the police in Kozhikode and taken to Kollam, to be investigated for his remarks on Facebook.

The outraged writer said there were other motives behind his arrest. "As a writer I have to be truthful to my story and character. My characters could be patriots, traitors, maoists, terrorists, thief... There is some other reason or motive for them to take this action," he was quoted as saying on Monday.

Activists of Yuva Morcha, BJP's youth wing, had on December 14 burnt Kamal's effigy in protest against his alleged remarks on playing the national anthem before every show at IFFK.

They had also allegedly addressed Kamal as 'Kamaluddin' and termed him "anti-national".

The activists had also charged that Kamal was behind selecting controversial Malayalam film "Ka Bodyscapes" which they alleged insulted the Hindu religion.
The issue had come into focus at the recently concluded International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) after police took 12 persons into custody on December 14 for showing disrespect to the national anthem. They reportedly refused to stand up while the anthem was being played.