Mangaluru: Renowned film and theatre artist Prakash Raj opined that workshops conducted in colleges play a significant role in nurturing an interest in the arts.

He was speaking after inaugurating the four-day workshop, ‘Beyond the Score - Rhythm,’ by playing the drums at the St. Aloysius Deemed University campus on Thursday.

"During my college days, our Kannada lecturers encouraged us to critique poetry along with learning the syllabus. This helped me cultivate an interest in literature. It is heartening to see such workshops happening at Aloysius College, celebrated like a festival. It is essential to develop an interest, faith, and understanding of the arts at a young age," he remarked.

Last year, the university organised a cultural festival under the banner of ‘Nirdiganta.’ A similar event is scheduled for February this year. Prakash Raj extended his best wishes for the success of the workshop and encouraged everyone to celebrate art.

Speaking as the chief guest, St. Aloysius Deemed University Vice-Chancellor Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis said, “Life becomes more fulfilling when we listen to the rhythm of our hearts.”

Introducing the event, Anush Shetty mentioned that the four-day workshop would focus on teaching participants to play various musical instruments, guided by resource persons.

Prominent personalities such as Christopher D’Souza, resource persons Shrikant Swamy, Munna Mysuru, and Krishna Chaitanya, were present during the event. The programme was hosted by Sweedal D’Souza.

The ‘Rhythm’ workshop is jointly organised by the St. Aloysius Deemed University’s Theatre Studies Centre and ‘Nirdiganta,’ led by actor Prakash Raj, and will run from today until January 5.

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Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said that a recent article in a RSS mouthpiece about the property owned in the country by the Catholic Church indicates the "true mindset" of the right-wing organisation and the alleged "majority communalism of the Sangh Parivar".

In a statement issued by his office, Vijayan said that though the article was removed from the website of the RSS mouthpiece, it gives some "negative signals".

The CM also alleged that it should be seen as part of "a grand plan to target the minority groups one by one and destroy them step by step".

A similar view was expressed by Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan who claimed that the article shows that the RSS has now set its eyes on the property of the church.

In his statement, the CM further claimed that it also shows the Sangh Parivar's "intense majority communalism which is against other religious communities".

Vijayan urged all progressive democratic secular movements to jointly resist such moves.

Satheesan, while speaking to reporters in Kozhikode, claimed that in the article the RSS has asked the central government to acquire the over seven crore hectares of land belonging to the Catholic Church.

He contended that according to the RSS, the church property was illegally leased during the British era.

Satheesan claimed that the RSS demand in the article came on the same day when the Waqf Bill was passed in the Parliament.

"We warned that if the Waqf Bill is passed, the Church Bill will follow," he added.

The opposition leader said that such actions indicate that while the Sangh Parivar was trying to appease Christians in Kerala, it was attacking them in the rest of the country.

He expressed hope that the Christians will recognise them as "wolves in sheep's clothing".