Will honour SC order, says Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on screening of 'Thug Life'
Bengaluru, Jun 17 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday appealed to Kannada activists to abide by the Supreme Court order, which directed the state government to ensure the screening of the Kamal Haasan-starrer movie 'Thug Life'.
Kannada activists have been up in the arms against the screening of the movie after the 70-year-old actor's comments about Kannada language sparked a major controversy.
They staged protests, lodged police complaint and warned film theatres not to screen the movie, alleging that Haasan insulted Kannada without knowing its rich history.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Karnataka government after 'Thug Life' was not screened in theatres in the state.
The court said mob and vigilantes cannot be allowed to take over streets.
Reacting to the court order, Shivakumar said, "We have to abide by the Supreme Court order with honour. Everyone has limitations. I appeal to various organisations that we must have our limitations."
"I appeal to all the Kannada activists, please be calm, we should respect the court. No one should take law into their hands," he said.
The Deputy CM underlined that Karnataka has always been a peace loving state.
Noting that there is nothing wrong in expressing opinion, Shivakumar said the state government too gave activists a chance to express their views.
He appealed to the people of Bengaluru to be generous.
"We have accommodated all the castes, languages and culture in Bengaluru. This is an international city. The people of Karnataka have always been large hearted," he underlined.
He also pointed out that no one can spoil the self-esteem of Kannada and the state government is also in favour of it but one has to honour the court.
'Thug Life' released in cinema halls across the country on June 5.
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CBCI urges Prime Minister Modi to condemn attacks on Christians, bring fringe groups under control
Bengaluru: Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publicly condemn attacks on Christians and take firm steps to protect the rights of religious minorities, saying it is the constitutional duty of the government to do so.
Addressing a press conference a day ahead of the CBCI’s 37th General Body Meeting in Bengaluru, Archbishop Thazhath said the Church has consistently approached government authorities whenever incidents of violence occur, but has never resorted to counter-attacks. “Protecting the rights of minorities and Christians is the duty of the government. Whenever we raise these issues, authorities often describe the perpetrators as fringe groups. If they are fringe groups, they must be condemned and brought under control,” he said.
The CBCI president said he had personally raised the issue with Prime Minister Modi on multiple occasions, including during the Prime Minister’s recent participation in Christmas celebrations. He expressed concern over attacks targeting Christians on the basis of religion, stressing that the Church does not view the issue through a political lens. “We are not political people. There have been attacks on Christians purely on the basis of religion, and we are afraid of this trend. We want the Prime Minister to take necessary precautions and clearly condemn such acts,” he said.
Archbishop Thazhath reiterated that the Christian response to violence is guided by faith and non-violence. “Our methodology is not to counter-attack because Jesus has taught us to love all, even our enemies,” he said. He also highlighted the Christian community’s long-standing contribution to nation-building. “Christians have contributed to this country and will continue to do so. Yet, religious discrimination and attacks continue to take place in some parts of the country, which causes fear,” he added.
His remarks come weeks after a pastor, Bipin Bihari Naik, was allegedly assaulted by Bajrang Dal workers in Odisha, where he was reportedly forced to eat cow dung and chant religious slogans. Without referring to specific cases, the Archbishop said attacks on Christians occur in different forms across various regions. He recalled that in August 2025, Catholic nuns and priests from Kerala were allegedly attacked by Bajrang Dal members in Odisha.
The CBCI General Body Meeting will begin on Wednesday under the theme “Faith and the Nation: The Church’s Witness to India’s Constitutional Vision”. Former Supreme Court judge Justice K.M. Joseph and Professor D. Dominic are scheduled to address the gathering on the topic “Current Socio-Political Context and Constitutional Values”.
According to the meeting agenda, deliberations will take place against the backdrop of several developments, including recent Supreme Court directives on a public interest litigation concerning anti-conversion laws, attacks on churches and Christian institutions in different regions, and incidents of violence and intimidation reported during the Christmas season.
In a pre-meeting media briefing, Archbishop Thazhath emphasised that despite being a numerical minority, Christians have made significant contributions to India. He underlined that the Constitution guarantees minority rights and the freedom to practise religion. Countering narratives that portray Christianity as foreign, he said the faith has been present in India for nearly 2,000 years. “Christianity is inherently Indian. It is not alien,” he asserted.
The Archbishop also expressed serious concern over what he described as growing hostility towards Christians, often under the guise of enforcing anti-conversion laws. He said he had conveyed these anxieties directly to the Prime Minister.
Also present at the briefing were CBCI Secretary General Archbishop Anil J.T. Couto, Vice-President II Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas, Deputy Secretary General Fr. Mathew Koyickal, and PRO Fr. Robinson Rodrigues.
