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Singer Aloshi Adams and members of a temple advisory committee have been charged for performing “revolutionary songs” glorifying the CPI(M) during a temple festival in Kerala. The case, filed by Kadakkal police, cites violations under the Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act.
According to the police, Aloshi Adams has been named the first accused in the FIR, with two or more members of the temple advisory committee also facing charges. The case invokes Sections 3, 5, 6, and 7 of the Act, which prohibit religious institutions from being used for political purposes.
The controversy erupted during the Kadakkal Temple festival on March 10, when Aloshi performed songs commemorating CPI(M) worker Puthukudi Pushpan, a survivor of the 1994 Koothuparamba police firing. The performance, accompanied by DYFI and CPI(M) flags and symbols, triggered legal action.
Police Allegations
Officials stated that displaying political flags and symbols alongside singing “revolutionary songs” violated rules restricting political influences in religious events. The FIR mentions that Aloshi chanted slogans such as “Inquilab Zindabad, DYFI Zindabad, and CPI(M) Zindabad,” while the other accused facilitated the act.
Political Reactions
The incident has sparked widespread criticism, especially from the Congress-led UDF, with the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) ordering a vigilance probe into the matter. However, defending himself, Adams stated that he did not personally choose the song but performed it at the request of the audience.
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