Kochi: The Kerala Catholic Bishop Council today raised an objection against Kerala government and Kerala Lalit Kala Academy for awarding the best cartoonist award for a cartoon picture that was a satire on Bishop Franco Mulakkal.
The cartoon shows Bishop Franco as a cock, propped up by MLA PC.
The nuns are seeing fleeing the scene in the cartoon. PC George is holding up Bishop Franco while standing on a police cap.
The picture also shows woman’s underwear drawn in the bishop’s staff that Bishop Franco carries. And right above the cartoon is written, ‘Vishwasam rakshati’, which translates to ‘your faith will save you’.
A media statement by Varghese Vallikat, the spokesperson of KCBC, stated, “In the name of condemning Bishop Franco, the cartoonist has insulted Christianity by drawing an objectionable picture on the Good Shepherd symbol”
Bishop Franco Mulakkal is the first Indian Bishop to have been arrested on accusations of raping and sodomising a 44-year old nun repeatedly. He was released on interim bail.
The Kerala Police have filed a chargesheet in the court and have charged Bishop Franco Mulakkal with rape, sodomy and illegal confinement.