Chennai, India: February 06, 2012- Christian organisations in Kerala are up in arms over the the Communist Party of India’s (Marxist) portrayal of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper. The party, known as CPI(M) had put up flex boards across Thiruvananthapuram city which depicted a different version of the meal.
Barely days after it faced flak for displaying a painting of Jesus alongside Communist icons at an exhibition, the CPI(M) in Kerala has landed itself in another soup after a billboard carrying a political spoof, allegedly put up by party workers, raised hackles here. A party official had describing Jesus Christ as a freedom fighter.
The billboard, put up at Thirkannapura area of the city, reads: "This is the Last Supper of Capitalism... Marxism is the only Hope." The picture, depicting US President Barack Obama at a table along with senior Congress and BJP leaders, was a takeoff on Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece 'The Last Supper', showing Jesus with his disciples.
The Last Supper is the final meal Jesus had with his Apostles, prior to his crucifixion.
Artist Leonardo da Vinci’s mural painting dating back to the 15th century has depicted the Last Supper. The historic painting specifically portrays reactions of each of Christ’s 12 apostles at the table when he announced that one of them would betray him.
Now, the CPI (M) version shows a morphed picture of US President Barack Obama instead in Christ’s place. Those shown in place of the apostles are political leaders Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul, French President Nicolas Sarkozy among others. The flex hoardings were put up in view of the CPI (M)’s state conference slated to begin on Tuesday.
Christians Up in arms
Christian organisations have slammed the CPI (M) for tweaking da Vinci’s Last Supper portrait. While Christians in Allapuzha held a protest rally on Sunday, spokesperson of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council Fr Stephen Alathara asked political parties to refrain from hurting religious sentiments.
Fr Paul Thelakkat of the Syro-Malabar Church decried the party’s ignorance.
Chief minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, said distorting 'The Last Supper' for political purposes could be seen only as a "heretical act" and the party would have to face the consequences for hurting the sentiments of the believers and hopes the CPI (M) apologises for its mistake.
State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala said there was no justification for "vulgarisation" of 'The Last Supper'.
"Instead of trying to justify the fault, CPI(M) leaders should tender an unqualified apology to the people for hurting their sentiments," Chennithala said in a statement.
Meanwhile, ruling UDF trained its guns on the CPI(M) for displaying pictures of Jesus Christ and episodes from the Bible as political material, terming them as "blasphemous and heretical."
The party’s defence
When asked about the board, CPI(M) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan claimed it was put up "without the knowledge of any responsible party functionary" and said his party had "no intention to belittle the ideals of Christ or Christianity."
"The moment the matter came to the notice of the local party leaders, it was removed," Vijayan said.
Reacting to the incident, the CPI(M) had defended itself saying Jesus was a "frontline soldier" for the liberation of the suppressed in human history. The party’s state secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, described the poster as the imagination of the artist.
Published by Olivia
Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved
Barely days after it faced flak for displaying a painting of Jesus alongside Communist icons at an exhibition, the CPI(M) in Kerala has landed itself in another soup after a billboard carrying a political spoof, allegedly put up by party workers, raised hackles here. A party official had describing Jesus Christ as a freedom fighter.
The billboard, put up at Thirkannapura area of the city, reads: "This is the Last Supper of Capitalism... Marxism is the only Hope." The picture, depicting US President Barack Obama at a table along with senior Congress and BJP leaders, was a takeoff on Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece 'The Last Supper', showing Jesus with his disciples.
The Last Supper is the final meal Jesus had with his Apostles, prior to his crucifixion.
Artist Leonardo da Vinci’s mural painting dating back to the 15th century has depicted the Last Supper. The historic painting specifically portrays reactions of each of Christ’s 12 apostles at the table when he announced that one of them would betray him.
Now, the CPI (M) version shows a morphed picture of US President Barack Obama instead in Christ’s place. Those shown in place of the apostles are political leaders Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul, French President Nicolas Sarkozy among others. The flex hoardings were put up in view of the CPI (M)’s state conference slated to begin on Tuesday.
Christians Up in arms
Christian organisations have slammed the CPI (M) for tweaking da Vinci’s Last Supper portrait. While Christians in Allapuzha held a protest rally on Sunday, spokesperson of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council Fr Stephen Alathara asked political parties to refrain from hurting religious sentiments.
Fr Paul Thelakkat of the Syro-Malabar Church decried the party’s ignorance.
Chief minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, said distorting 'The Last Supper' for political purposes could be seen only as a "heretical act" and the party would have to face the consequences for hurting the sentiments of the believers and hopes the CPI (M) apologises for its mistake.
State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala said there was no justification for "vulgarisation" of 'The Last Supper'.
"Instead of trying to justify the fault, CPI(M) leaders should tender an unqualified apology to the people for hurting their sentiments," Chennithala said in a statement.
Meanwhile, ruling UDF trained its guns on the CPI(M) for displaying pictures of Jesus Christ and episodes from the Bible as political material, terming them as "blasphemous and heretical."
The party’s defence
When asked about the board, CPI(M) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan claimed it was put up "without the knowledge of any responsible party functionary" and said his party had "no intention to belittle the ideals of Christ or Christianity."
"The moment the matter came to the notice of the local party leaders, it was removed," Vijayan said.
Reacting to the incident, the CPI(M) had defended itself saying Jesus was a "frontline soldier" for the liberation of the suppressed in human history. The party’s state secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, described the poster as the imagination of the artist.
Published by Olivia
Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved
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