The Left’s Hindu Blind Spot

Pinarayi Vijayan’s reaction to the ‘Empuraan’ controversy exposes his party’s double standards on free speech and tolerance.

Kerala

Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, has never shied away from branding himself as a champion of free speech – that is, so long as it suits his political leanings. His enthusiastic endorsement of L2: Empuraan, a film that has sparked national outrage for its alleged anti-Hindu and anti-BJP overtones, is a glaring example of his party’s selective outrage. Even as the controversy surrounding the film refuses to die down, Vijayan chose to celebrate its release rather than acknowledge the concerns raised by critics. This ideological hypocrisy has long defined the Left’s approach to dissent in India.

At the heart of the Empuraan controversy lies a sequence depicting the 2002 Gujarat riots, with a key antagonist allegedly modelled on a right-wing figure. Unsurprisingly, the Sangh Parivar and the BJP have slammed the film for peddling a divisive, one-sided narrative. The RSS-affiliated Organiser magazine has called it “a propaganda vehicle designed to deepen religious fault lines.”

Vijayan, however, preferred to indulge in theatrical posturing. Watching the film with his family and publicly endorsing it sends a clear message: narratives that align with his ideological leanings are acceptable, no matter how controversial. Yet, this is the same leader who has, time and again, condemned other artistic expressions for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which Vijayan leads in Kerala, has a long history of taking offense when its own ideological comfort zone is breached. When The Kerala Story - a film critical of radicalization in the state - was released, the CPI(M) joined the chorus calling for a ban, dismissing it as “propaganda.” But when Empuraan triggers backlash for its portrayal of the Gujarat riots, the same party suddenly transforms into a torchbearer of artistic freedom.

The broader problem is the Left’s glaring double standards when it comes to Hindu sentiments. In the name of secularism, leftist leaders and intellectuals have consistently dismissed or trivialized concerns raised by Hindus while championing the grievances of other communities. The Empuraan episode is merely the latest example of this lopsided approach. When controversies arise over films that critique Islam or Christianity, the Left rushes to invoke sensitivity and calls for restraint. However, when Hindu sensibilities are hurt, those protesting are branded as intolerant, regressive, or, worse, communal.

Mohanlal’s decision to issue a public apology and the reported removal of 17 scenes - including riot sequences and depictions of violence against women - suggest that even the filmmakers recognized the contentious nature of their work. The Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) intervention further underscores the validity of the concerns raised. Vijayan’s silence on this development is telling. For a leader who claims to stand against censorship and for free expression, he has shown no interest in defending the artistic autonomy of a film that has been forced to undergo edits. If anything, his endorsement of Empuraan while ignoring the backlash it has generated reeks of political opportunism.

The Kerala Chief Minister’s stance on Empuraan is emblematic of a deeper issue within Indian politics: the weaponization of artistic freedom. The Left routinely invokes free speech as a defencewhen its narratives are under fire but quickly discards the principle when confronted with dissenting viewpoints. Vijayan’s selective outrage reflects this broader hypocrisy. If free speech is to mean anything in India, it cannot be conditional upon ideological convenience.

The Empuraan controversy ultimately is about the deeper fault lines in Indian discourse. The backlash against its alleged biases is not an isolated reaction but a reflection of growing resentment against the systematic dismissal of Hindu concerns. Pinarayi Vijayan, with his glaring double standards, has only reinforced this perception. Until political leaders apply the same standards of tolerance across the ideological spectrum, their proclamations of secularism and free speech will continue to ring hollow.