4 min readThiruvananthapuramOct 27, 2026 06:36 AM IST First published on: Oct 26, 2026 at 06:13 PM IST

A UP vlogger’s attempt to portray Kochi’s Kashi Art Cafe, a cafe-cum-contemporary art space, as a symbol of an alleged Muslim threat to Kerala has triggered a political backlash, bringing the ruling Congress and Opposition CPI(M) together in defence of the state’s secular identity and communal harmony.

The BJP, too, has weighed in, with its state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar saying that only the Malayalis get to decide what is to be done in Kerala, even as it slammed the ruling Congress government for allegedly not responding to those “making anti-India statements”.