Award-winning author and veteran Malayalam critic M. Leelavathi chose not to celebrate her 98th birthday on Tuesday as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This decision led to a significant backlash online, characterized by harassment and cyberbullying from various right-wing social media users and groups.
The Christian Association & Alliance for Social Action (CASA), a Kerala-based right-wing Christian group, spearheaded the online criticism. On its Facebook page, CASA mocked Leelavathi, questioning her “selective outrage” by citing instances of violence in Israel and fatalities in Kashmir.
Leelavathi, reflecting on her birthday, stated, “How could rice slip down my throat when children in Gaza sit with plates, waiting for food?” She expressed that she views aging as a time for introspection rather than celebration, emphasizing that she has never observed her birthdays.
“I consider everyone equal, regardless of religion, country, or caste. In 2019, during Onam, I consumed only rice gruel after learning about the plight of children affected by the devastating Wayanad landslides,” she said, recalling the tragedy that claimed 76 lives in August 2019.
The esteemed educator added, “To me, children everywhere are the same. Those who oppose me are free to do so. I bear no enmity.”
Kerala’s Education Minister V. Sivankutty condemned the cyber harassment against Leelavathi, asserting that it undermines the ethical values of the state. He called for a unified response from the cultural community of Kerala to oppose such attacks.
Prominent writer C. Radhakrishnan defended Leelavathi, criticizing the attacks as “in very bad taste.” He explained that on her 98th birthday, she merely expressed sorrow over the deaths of children in Gaza, stating, “I cannot enjoy any food.” While many media outlets recognized her sentiment, he noted that a minority distorted it into a communal issue, resulting in abuse.
Radhakrishnan articulated concern over media outlets failing to recognize the universal pain of a mother for suffering children, irrespective of their background. “It is tragic that even in Kerala, the media is falling prey to such divisive narratives,” he concluded.
Author K.R. Meera added her voice to the chorus of defenders, noting that those attacking Leelavathi do not grasp her significance, and the nature of the backlash is troubling in its disregard for humanity.
Mundanat Leelavathi, born in 1927, is a distinguished Malayalam writer, literary critic, and educator, having taught at various colleges in Kerala before retiring as Principal of Government Brennen College in Thalassery. Throughout her extensive literary career, she has received several accolades, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, and is recognized as a contemporary of notable Malayalam critics. She is also a recipient of the Padma Shri Award.
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