A dispute over permission for a cultural programme at Manaveeyam Veedhi has brought renewed attention to how Thiruvananthapuram’s public cultural spaces are managed, with Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister P. Vishnunadh asking the civic body to reconsider its decision and Mayor V. V. Rajesh saying he was unaware of the event and its proposed celebrations.
The programme, featuring Malayalam singer Pushpavathy, was planned to mark the silver jubilee of Manaveeyam Veedhi, a cultural corridor in the Kerala capital that regularly hosts artistic and literary events. Organisers alleged that the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation refused permission without citing a valid reason, despite applications being submitted to the police and civic authorities through the prescribed procedures.
The organisers also claimed that corporation officials had recently imposed restrictions on programmes at the venue. The allegations have triggered a political and administrative controversy over the use of a public space intended for cultural activities.
Minister Vishnunadh described Pushpavathy as one of Malayalam’s most gifted singers and noted that she had previously served as vice chairperson of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. He said Manaveeyam Veedhi was intended to provide space for creative activities and argued that restricting artists or denying them opportunities to perform was undesirable.
Mayor Rajesh offered a different account, saying he was unaware of both the singer and the proposed silver jubilee celebrations. He said official records should be available with the corporation if a committee had been formed to organise the event.
The Mayor also pointed to the civic body’s responsibility for maintaining Manaveeyam Veedhi. According to him, the state government had entrusted the corporation with the upkeep of the venue after it was renovated with funds from the Smart City Mission.
That funding and maintenance arrangement places the immediate dispute within a broader civic framework. Manaveeyam Veedhi is not only an event venue but also a public space whose access, programming and upkeep involve the state government, the municipal corporation, police authorities and event organisers. The reported disagreement has highlighted the need for clarity over which authority grants permission and how applications are assessed.
The available account does not specify the written reason for the corporation’s refusal, the date of the proposed programme, or whether the organisers received a formal order. It also does not establish whether the claimed restrictions on recent programmes apply under a new policy or to specific events. The corporation’s records, including any application, permission decision or committee documentation, would determine the administrative basis of the dispute.
The immediate issue remains whether the civic body will reconsider the permission decision, as requested by the Cultural Affairs Minister. Any further decision is expected to clarify the status of the programme and the procedures governing cultural events at Manaveeyam Veedhi.
