THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dealing a sharp blow to the Kerala government and law enforcement agencies, Governor P. Sathasivam said that “murders and clashes like the one which occurred in Kannur yesterday” were lowering the state’s image.
The Governor’s observation came at the most unlikely place and occasion: at the inauguration of the annual Nisagandhi Dance Festival in the state capital on Saturday evening. “While complimenting the state government for promoting art and culture by organising such cultural feasts, I would also suggest that such programmes be taken to violence-prone, volatile and sensitive areas too, since art has the capacity to ease tensions and to promote peace. Definitely, such cultural initiatives will help in preventing isolated incidents of violence, like the one which happened yesterday in Kannur in broad daylight,” he said.