Jesus Christ Superstar to be staged in Ker after SC lits ban

Twenty-five years after it was banned, the famous Rock opera 'Jesus Christ, Superstar', is free to be staged now in Kerala with the Supreme Court recently lifting the ban by the state government.
An elated Father Abraham Vellathadathil of Kottayam, who challenged the ban in the Kerala High Court and apex court, says his fight was against 'injustice and discrimination'.
"I went to the Supreme Court as it was an injustice, insult and discrimination against the people of Kottayam. The whole thing was exercised by a public authority to satisfy personal grievance and vendetta against social activist Mary Roy," Father Abraham, a priest in CSI church in Kottayam dioceses, told PTI.

Alphons Kannamthanam, former IAS officer and then Kottayam Collector and presently BJP National Executive committee member, had ordered the ban on October 15, 1990 at 5.05 PM just as the play was to be staged by students of Mary Roy's School at Kottayam, who were all dressed up to play their part.
Mary Roy also challenged the ban in the High Court in 1991 which dismissed her plea following which she took her fight to the Supreme Court, which granted her special permission to stage it exclusively for the school and also directed the Collector to provide the school police protection, Father Abraham, former Principal of Henry Baker college, Melukavu, Idukki, said.

"There was no law and order problem. It was masterminded by few priests who were seeking political favours," he alleged.

Fr.Abraham said his legal battle was not to get the play staged, but against the injustice and discrimination brought to the people. "I was against the abuse of public authority to satisfy his vendetta for that he masterminded a religious protest with the help of few priests", he alleged.
"Ideas should be met with ideas, not with rods and clubs. I have the right to give impression to my faith, just as they have the right. This is only an ideological debate and if they have objection, it should be discussed'.

The bench of the apex Court, headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi had on Tuesday last quashed the 1990 notification banning the staging of the musical in Kottayam after it was informed that the drama was staged several times abroad and was also available online.