Author M Leelavathi downplays cyberattack

Kochi: Author M Leelavathi teacher, reacted to cyberattack launched against her following a comment she made about children in Gaza. She said she was simply expressing concern for children everywhere. "Small children do not have any religion and hungry children are the same for me no matter which country they are from or what religion they belong to," she said, adding that there was no peculiar politics behind it.She mentioned that on Onam day in 2019, she merely ate gruel after hearing about children going hungry in Wayanad. "In my eyes, children are only children, whether they are from my country or others," she added. She also stressed that she had no resentment towards those who opposed her. "Those who wish to oppose me are free to do so and I have nothing against them. I have faced criticism all my life, so this is nothing new. I hold no enmity towards those who are opposing me," she said. She reportedly decided not to celebrate her 98th birthday, asking how food could go down her throat after seeing images of children in Gaza holding out bowls for food. Subsequently, there was a severe cyberattack against her from far-right handles.