A Kerala cafe named Kashi, serving beef and featuring a Mahatma Gandhi-Jinnah statue, has caught attention after a case was registered against a YouTuber over contentious remarks about the eatery. In the video, the social media personality, named Amrit Singh Darren, claimed that the Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi featured a silver statue of Jinnah beside Gandhi’s structure and had beef on their menu.
The video fetched several views, with many supporting as well as opposing the allegations. The case was filed under Sections 353(2) and 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which cover statements promoting enmity between groups and provocation with intent to cause a riot.
What did the FIR mention?
The video shared on October 22, Darren said that the cafe named after Kashi, a holy place for the Hindus, served beef, as it was a Muslim-dominated area. The FIR stated that the alleged claims could trigger clashes between two religious communities and create hatred.
KERALAM CM CONDEMNS VIDEO
Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan condemned the video, asserting that communal hatred had no place in the state and that attempts to spread misinformation and divide communities were unacceptable.
In a post on X, Satheesan said, "Keralam stands united. Communal hatred has no place here. The recent Instagram video by a vlogger from outside the state, attempting to spread misinformation about Fort Kochi, portray our state in a negative light, and divide communities, is unacceptable."
Opposition Urges Action Against Creator
Earlier, senior CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the remarks and urged the state government to take legal action against those spreading communal enmity. In a post on X, Vijayan described Fort Kochi and Varkala as places where cultures met, histories intertwined and diversity thrived.
“Now, a vlogger peddling hate for profit seeks to paint these vibrant destinations in communal colours. Having failed to divide Keralam, the Sangh Parivar is outsourcing its hate campaign to online provocateurs. But Keralam’s secular spirit will not yield to their politics of hatred," Vijayan said.
