Mallika Sarabhai alleges restrictions on free expression as chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam
Thrissur , Renowned dancer, activist, and Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam, Mallika Sarabhai, has alleged that limitations have been placed on her freedom of expression in her new academic role.
In a candid Facebook post on Wednesday, Sarabhai reflected on her experience, writing: "Today I got my first taste of what it means to be the Chancellor of a University. Restricted speech."
Her remarks come in the wake of an ongoing protest by ASHA workers in Thrissur, who are demanding better wages and improved working conditions.
She expressed her support for the cause, stating that ASHA workers are "ill paid and used" despite the critical work they perform across the country.
Sarabhai also highlighted a citizens' crowdfunding initiative, led by noted writer and activist Sarah Joseph, to support the workers in Thrissur, in which she has been invited to participate on Thursday.
However, Sarabhai revealed that after expressing her personal opinion on the issue, she was seemingly advised against doing so, leading her to question the constraints now placed upon her public voice.
"There is an ASHA workers agitation on in Thrissur about increasing their pay. I believe these workers everywhere do very important work and are ill paid and used. Sarah Joseph is leading a citizens' crowd funding to increase their salary.
"I was asked for my opinion and gave it as me, as I have done all my life. Oh, not allowed any more. Hmmm. How do I stop being me? Do I even want to?" she wrote on her Facebook page.
She has not disclosed who attempted to impose these restrictions on her freedom of expression.
Condemning the alleged curbs, a leader of the protesting ASHA workers said they expect Sarabhai to participate in the protest online on Thursday evening.
Neither the Left government nor the university authorities have reacted to the allegations so far.
The Left government appointed Sarabhai as the Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed to be University for Art and Culture on December 6, 2022.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Pradyot hints at exiting coalition over accord implementation delay
Agartala: Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, founder of the TIPRA Motha Party and a key ally of the BJP in Tripura's govt, expressed dissatisfaction with the central and state govts and indicated a potential withdrawal from the coalition. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During a Facebook live on Tuesday, Pradyot reiterated his position, stating he would prefer to leave the ruling alliance rather than retain power if the Tiprasa accord, signed in April 2023 before the general election, was not implemented. He noted that initial discussions with the Centre were positive, but progress stalled thereafter. "It has been 18 months, we are waiting, and I feel this is high time for a forward movement in this direction," Pradyot said. He said his party would soon launch a helpline number to facilitate action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, whom he identified as the biggest threat to Tripura's indigenous communities. "I have instructed the leaders of my party to have the helpline circulated among the people on short notice. We can't let Bangladeshis enter our territory as if we allow them today, tomorrow they will use the resources that are meant for our children," Pradyot said. He added that the initiative aims to expedite information gathering on Bangladeshi nationals, emphasising that no one should take the law into their own hands. "We are waiting for the implementation of the Tiprasa accord. We entered into the ruling alliance only because we had been promised that the accord would be implemented. If I am unable to deliver what I promised to my people, then I have no right to enjoy power. I already had a word with the ministers who represent my party and the majority of the MLAs," he said.
Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Indian Express
Shahjahan Islam remarks row: Youth Congress leaders meet Tripura rights panel chief, demand protection of family, other minority members of Shantipara
A delegation of Youth Congress met Tripura Human Rights Commission chairperson Arindam Lodh on Tuesday and sought to ensure the safety and protection of the family members of its leader Shahjahan Islam and other minority families living at Shantipara in Agartala. Islam's house in Agartala was attacked late on Sunday after he slammed the state government and police for their alleged silence over a few incidents centering on alleged cow slaughter on Eid-al-Adha at Udaipur in the Gomati district on Saturday. Hours after the attack the police had arrested Islam's father and brother. The delegation stated that Islam's residence was ransacked by a gang of miscreants allegedly backed by the BJP on June 8, centering around his statements on animal sacrifice posted on Facebook. According to them, the goon went on a rampage, damaged his goods and furniture, and misbehaved with women members of his family. The Youth Congress delegation, in a letter to THRC chairperson, also alleged that some BJP activists were trying to evict Shahjahan from the locality by giving an ultimatum to his family members, including his mother, wife and nine-month-old son, to vacate the house by June 10 evening, or else, their house will be bulldozed. The family members were also given death threats, they said. The Youth Congress workers pointed out another human rights violation in the incident where the police, without arresting the perpetrators, arrested Shahjahan's father and brother without any cause and sent them to 14 days judicial custody. 'For this, the Youth Congress knocked on the doors of the Human Rights Commission seeking to ensure security to Shahjahan's family and protection of human rights of the other minority families in the area,' the delegation stated. In the controversial video, Shahjahan Islam was seen lashing out at Tripura Police and the state government for purportedly failing to act against the miscreants who allegedly interrupted the customary animal slaughter on Bakrid. Several netizens, including BJP activists, sought action against the Congress leader. Four people were detained for allegedly slaughtering a cow in public near a water body in the Chhanban area in Udaipur. A similar incident occurred in the Rajnagar area of Udaipur, where a minority family was accused of slaughtering a cow in the open Congress leader and former party president Birajit Sinha condemned the 'culture of attacking houses'. 'After the BJP came to power, attacks on people's houses by goons started. I demand police to take an active role,' Sinha alleged. On the other hand, BJP Minority Morcha leader Jasim Uddin on Tuesday slammed Islam for allegedly making derogatory remarks against CM Saha and the state police on social media and demanded his immediate arrest. He further alleged that Islam illegally occupied the land of the Wakf Board for a long time and built a house on the land. He appealed to the state government to recover the land from his possession so that the people of backward classes in minority communities could use the land. 'I condemn the way Congress leader Shahjahan Islam abused the state's popular chief minister Dr Manik Saha and those who are working day and night for the safety of the state and the country — the state Home Department's police — in bad words and demanded the immediate arrest of Shahjahan. Congress leader Shahjahan Islam built a palace after occupying the land of the Wakf Board for a long time. I hope that the state government's Wakaf Board would recover the occupied land in the coming days so that the backward minority community people could use it,' he wrote on Facebook.
India Today
17 hours ago
- India Today
France will ban social media for those under 15 within months, says president Macron
France may soon ban access to social media for children under 15 years of age. President Emmanuel Macron announced that the government would move to restrict access for children under the age of 15 in the coming months if the European Union does not take similar action. Macron's announcement came hours after a tragic incident at a middle school in Nogent, eastern 14-year-old student fatally stabbed a 31-year-old school staff member during a routine bag check for weapons. A police officer was also injured while trying to detain the attacker, who allegedly used the same knife in both assaults."We must ban social media for those under 15 I'm giving us a few months to get the European mobilisation going. Otherwise we'll start doing it in France. We can't wait," Macron said in an interview with the TV channel France 2. Macron stressed that there is a rising culture of youth violence, which in part is being fuelled by unsupervised access to digital platforms for children. His comments come at a time when several countries are raising concerns about the impact of social media on children and teenagers. While French investigators have not confirmed whether the stabbing was influenced by online content, Macron and other officials have reportedly pointed to social platforms as a contributing factor in the rise of aggression amongst his interview, Macron also took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), urging tech companies to step up. 'Platforms have the ability to verify age. Do it,' he posted, echoing calls from child safety experts who argue that age-gating measures are both possible and if France does impose a ban on social media usage for children, it would not be the first country to enact such strict regulations. Last year, Australia introduced a ban last year for users under 16, following an intense national debate. The government suggested it would use some form of age-verification technology to enforce the restriction and plans to test more options in the coming country enforced the ban for at least 12 months and imposed fines of up to A$50million ( that is around $32.5million) on tech companies in case they fail to comply with the orders. The Australian Prime Minister said strong legislation is required to protect the younger generation from the 'harms' caused by social media. 'We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs,' he told reporters (via BBC). Australia's ban on social media access to children applies to platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X. Although the order exempts gaming and messaging apps, since these platforms cannot be accessed without creating an account.
