A controversy over a portrait of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah at Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi has triggered a wave of social media posts defending the display, with some Kerala netizens praising the state’s supposed tolerance and portraying the presence of Jinnah’s image as a sign of social maturity.
The controversy erupted after North Indian vlogger Amrit Singh Darren posted a video showing portraits of Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi at the cafe, along with beef dishes on its menu. The video triggered criticism over the display of Jinnah’s portrait in an establishment named after Kashi, one of Hinduism’s most sacred cities.
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Following the controversy, Kerala Police registered a case against the vlogger under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), with allegations that his video promoted communal disharmony.
Amid the row, several Kerala-based social media users defended the cafe’s decision to display Jinnah’s portrait, with some invoking Kerala’s political and social culture to argue that the image should not provoke outrage.
One user claimed that sympathisers of Jinnah’s political ideology were difficult to find among Kerala Muslims, unlike in parts of North India. The user went on to argue that Jinnah was the founder of Pakistan and that displaying his portrait in Kerala reflected the state’s “maturity” and its ability to accommodate different perspectives.
The post concluded with the declaration: “Proud to be a Malayali, and for good reason.”
Another user challenged BJP leaders to offer the same assurance of religious freedom that Jinnah gave in his 11 August 1947 address to Pakistan’s Constituent Assembly. The post quoted Jinnah’s statement that citizens would be free to visit their respective places of worship and that religion would have nothing to do with the business of the state.
The user asked, “How many BJP leaders can give this assurance?”
A third post acknowledged Jinnah’s role in the Partition of India and alleged that he developed hatred towards Hindus towards the end of the independence movement. However, the user argued that if Jinnah’s actions automatically made him a terrorist figure, then Hindus who hated Muslims should also be described as terrorists.
The post went on to praise Kerala, claiming that religious hatred in the state was nowhere near the levels seen elsewhere in India.
Mallus are a different breed altogether https://t.co/W4nUtOPBDB
— Yug (@Yug8912) October 25, 2026
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