A case has been registered against 13 people for insulting the National Flag after a few provocative cartoons were published in the Thalassery Brennen college’s student magazine.

The magazine had published cartoons of a man and a woman having sex in a cinema theatre while the National Anthem is being played on the screen and another of penis-shaped TV remote being held by hand that is tied down by what appears to be the Sangh Parivar flag. Following the controversy that erupted, two pages featuring the cartoons were withdrawn from the magazine.  

Dharmadom police have registered case against 13 people including the staff editor, student editor and other magazine committee members based on the complaint filed by ABVP, the BJP’s student wing.

“A case was registered under section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act (Insult to Indian National Flag and Constitution). Further action will be taken after collecting evidence,” Nalinakshan, Dharmadom Sub Inspector told The News Minute.

The college union of Brennen College, which is led by the Left student wing SFI, recently brought out the college magazine titled ‘Pellet’. The cover page of the magazine has the cartoon of an injured person, who has pellet wounds.

In the magazine that runs over 100 pages, one of the cartoons published on Page 12 showed a couple having sex in a movie theatre, while the screen shows the National Flag. The caption reads: “The nationalism of standing up in theatre, the nationalism of reading Manusmrithi in streets.”

Page 84 carried the cartoon of a penis-shaped TV remote.

ABVP raised objection to the magazine, alleging that its content is anti-national. ABVP activists alleged that the cartoon of a couple having sex in a theatre while the National Anthem is being played was against Supreme Court order making the playing of the National Anthem mandatory in cinema halls before the commencement of every movie.