Is Kerala govt going the BJP way in muzzling media?

The fresh conspiracy case against a woman journalist in Kerala is the latest in a series of actions by the Kerala police against journalists during the term of the CPM government.

The back to back police actions against the media have further triggered allegations that the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala was toeing the line of the BJP in taking action against journalists.

While the CPM often accused the BJP governments of taking action against media on instances like the raids at BBC and arrest of Malayali journalist Siddique Kappan, the CPM government in Kerala is now facing the same charge.

Also Read | Opposition UDF slams Kerala CM's remarks against media, police action against scribe

CPM national leadership's displeasure over the police action on journalists in Kerala was quite evident as CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday evaded a reaction on the matter citing that he was unaware of it.

Asianet News reporter Akhila Nandakumar was arraigned as the fifth-accused in a case filed on the basis of a petition filed by CPM's student outfit Students' Federation of India state secretary P M Arsho. Arsho alleged that there was a conspiracy in a recent row over declaring him pass in the third-semester post-graduate exam by Maharaja's college in Kochi even as he did not apply for the exam. The channel reporter first reported the allegation that was raised by Congress's student outfit Kerala Students' Union. Hence she was also accused of involving in the conspiracy.

Last month the police took action against a channel reporter in connection with an allegation that a senior police officer 'leaked out' information regarding the transit route of Kozhikode train arson accused from Maharashtra to Kerala. The reporter's phone was reportedly seized by the police.

A senior television journalist was slapped with a case on the basis of a complaint by CPM's Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem in 2022. While anchoring a channel discussion on the hardships caused to the people by a 48-hour general strike called by trade unions in March 2022, journalist Vinu V John said that trade union leaders like Kareem should also suffer the difficulties that common people suffered during such strikes. Provoked over this Kareem filed a complaint against the journalist.

Recently a case under the POCSO Act was slapped against the executive editor and couple of journalists of a leading news channel after the channel allegedly mixed the voice of a minor girl, who was trapped by drug rackets, with the video of another school girl in a report on drug rackets.

There were also many instances of CPM leaders, including Pinarayi Vijayan, making harsh remarks against the media and accusing a section of media of being anti-CPM.

Congress accused the CPM of being intolerant towards criticisms and hence following the line of Narendra Modi government at the centre.