Thiruvananthapuram, 19 April (H.S.) :A controversy has erupted in Kerala after alleged “derogatory” Vishu greeting posts depicting Lord Krishna circulated on social media, prompting the Hindu Aikya Vedi to lodge a formal complaint with the State Police Chief seeking a detailed investigation.

According to the complaint, multiple restaurants across the State had shared Vishu-themed promotional posts that portrayed Lord Krishna in an objectionable manner. The outfit claimed that one such widely circulated poster showed a plate of “kuzhimandi” placed before the deity, which it termed as offensive and hurtful to religious sentiments.

Hindu Aikya Vedi state president R.V. Babu said the organisation has urged the Director General of Police to probe the “unnatural pattern” behind the posts and examine whether there were any larger motives or coordinated attempts involved. He also called for a thorough investigation into possible extremist links, if any, behind the campaign.

The issue gained further traction following the arrest of a restaurant owner from Cherthala, who runs an establishment named “Mehar Mandi.” Police registered a case against him based on a complaint filed by advocate M.V. Biju, a native of Thanneermukkom. The case has been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings and provoke unrest.

Officials said the offence carries a punishment of up to one year in prison.

Meanwhile, the accused has claimed that the post was not created with malicious intent. He stated that the design was outsourced to a freelance content creator and that he was unaware of its implications before it was shared on social media.

Police are continuing their investigation, including examining the role of others involved in creating and disseminating the controversial content.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman