Published Oct 25, 2026 | 4:25 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 25, 2026 | 4:25 PM
BJP Keralam president Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Synopsis: BJP Keralam president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has accused Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan of “selective secularism” a day after the latter condemned social media influencer Amrit Singh Darren’s communal remarks about Fort Kochi and Kashi Art Cafe. He accused the Congress and the CPI(M) of overlooking conduct that he claimed was offensive to religious communities and asked how Satheesan would react if a restaurant named after a Muslim holy city served pork.
BJP Keralam president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has accused Chief Minister VD Satheesan of “selective secularism”, a day after the latter condemned social media influencer Amrit Singh Darren’s communal remarks about Fort Kochi and Kashi Art Cafe.
Chandrasekhar said that although he agreed with the Chief Minister’s sentiment, the controversy had raised several questions that needed to be answered.
“Why do some people glorify Jinnah – a man who divided India on the basis of religion? Why do some politicians justify, defend and encourage proscribed terrorist organisations like Hamas and their violence? Why do political parties like Cong and CPM have political alliances with avowedly anti-secular, anti-constitution organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami? (sic)” he wrote in a post on X on Sunday, 25 October.
He accused the Congress and the CPI(M) of overlooking conduct that he claimed was offensive to religious communities. He also asked how Satheesan would react if a restaurant named after a Muslim holy city served pork.
“As much as CM VD Satheesan twists and turns in the political wind to justify this destructive political culture, let this be clear – the only reason some people think they can get away with insults and insensitive behaviour (don’t forget this cafe is named after Kashi – the holy Hindu city) is because they get a free pass (encouragement) from Cong/CPM for this. I was abused and targeted by Pinarayi Vijayan for speaking against Hamas radicalisation effort in Keralam,” he wrote.
He said the Constitution guaranteed every citizen the right to freedom of expression and advised Satheesan to ensure equal respect for all Malayalees.
“Ensure sensitivity and respect to ALL Malayalees equally. Hindus, Christians and Muslims. Do not encourage anti-India, anti-Hindu insults/discourse/actions/sentiment like Jinnah worship. In that you will have our support. But selective secularism and selective talk of communal harmony will make you like every other fake politician before you. And we will resist it,” he said.
Keralam is for all Malayalees.
Malayalees alone will decide the present & future of Keralam. Our food, our culture, our celebrations.
Keralam is part of India. Every Malayalee is an also an Indian.
I agree with CMs sentiment in his post. However legitimate questions arise about political culture thats developing in Keralam-
➡️Why do some people glorify Jinnah – a man who divided of India on basis of religions?
➡️Why do some politicians justify, defend and encourage proscribed Terror organisations like Hamas and their violence?
➡️Why do political parties like Cong and CPM hv political alliances with avowed anti-secular, anti-constitution orgn like JamaatEIslami ?
As much as CM @vdsatheesan twists and turns in the political wind to justify this destructive political culture, let this be clear – the only reason some people think they can get away with insults and insensitive behavior (Dont forget this cafe is named after Kashi – the holy hindu city) is because they get a free-pass (encouragement) from Cong/CPM for this
Imagine CM Keralas tweet and response if someone opens a restaurant named after a Muslim holy city and served Pork ? He will find himself being an Ex-CM or fleeing for his life or both.
I was abused and targeted by @pinarayivijayan for speaking against Hamas radicalisation effort in Keralam.
Art 19 – right to free speech and expression applies to every Indian.
Art 19(2) restrictions to free speech apply to every Indian.
So my advise to CM Satheesan is this – ensure sensitivity and respect to ALL Malayalees equally. Hindus, Christians and Muslims.
Do not encourage anti-India , anti-Hindu insults/discourse/actions/sentiment like Jinnah worship.
In that you will have our support.
But selective secularism and selective talk of communal harmony will make you like every other fake politician before you. And we will resist it. Fully. Everytime.
#EnthuKitty ?
#APAKADAMPolitics— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) October 25, 2026
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The Fort Kochi police have booked Amrit Singh Darren for his communal remarks following a complaint by Jude Vipin, the owner of Kashi Art Cafe.
Social media influencer Amrit Singh Darren
In a post on Instagram, Singh claimed Fort Kochi was “full of Muslims” and that Kashi Art Cafe indulged in an “unholy” act by serving beef.
The FIR invokes Sections 353(2) and 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with promoting enmity between communities and acts intended to provoke rioting, respectively.
The complaint alleged the remarks were intended to provoke reactions on social media and promote enmity between two religious communities. It also alleged that the video was circulated despite the likelihood of disturbing communal harmony and triggering unrest.
Police said Singh had left Fort Kochi and that they were verifying his address in Uttar Pradesh before proceeding with his arrest. Another senior police official indicated that an arrest could take place soon.
Also Read: Keralam: 17-year-old held after Mercedes rams scooter, killing rider in Kochi
Kashi Art Cafe is not named after the ancient name for Varanasi, contrary to the assertion that Singh made in the controversial video and later repeated by Chandrasekhar.
Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi.
Instead, it takes its name from the Japanese word kashi (菓子), which means sweets or confectionery.
The cafe occupies a restored Dutch-style house on Burgher Street and has been part of Fort Kochi’s cultural scene since 1997. Anoop Skaria and his wife, Dorrie Younger, established it as a space combining food and art.
The cafe also hosted exhibitions during the first Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2012.
Singh also objected to Blood Brothers: Two Fathers from Gujarat, an installation by multimedia artist and curator Riyas Komu. The work features repeated aluminium reliefs depicting MK Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The installation brings the two figures together to explore the contradictions, political differences and shared history associated with Partition. Its repeated images invite viewers to reflect on the divisions that shaped the subcontinent and their consequences for ordinary people.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
