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Vijayan accuses UDF govt of suppressing criticism over CPI(M) leader’s social media posts
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 17 (PTI) CPI(M) veteran and Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday criticised the UDF government over a police case reportedly registered against party leader K S Arun Kumar in connection with social media posts about Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala’s recent US visit.
In a Facebook post, Vijayan alleged that the Congress-led government was adopting an “authoritarian approach” by trying to deal with democratic criticism and questions through the use of power.
The former Chief Minister alleged the case was registered against Arun Kumar for raising “relevant questions” on social media in the context of Chennithala’s foreign trip and claimed that the action reflected the government’s intolerance towards criticism.
Vijayan said Arun Kumar had not criticised the Home Minister personally but had commented on the media’s approach to the issue.
“The media, which used a magnifying glass during the previous LDF government to scrutinise even which cars ministers travelled in, now maintains silence in the case of UDF ministers, a special privilege it extends to the right wing. Arun Kumar pointed out this double standard,” he said.
Vijayan said the government’s belief that political criticism could be suppressed by using the police was “an illusion” and expressed full support for Arun Kumar.
He also called for strong public protest against what he described as an infringement on freedom of expression and “democratic suppression”.
Vijayan’s remarks came a day after the Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber Police reportedly registered a case against Arun Kumar and three others, alleging that they had made defamatory posts on social media concerning Chennithala’s US visit.
Arun Kumar, while speaking to the media on Wednesday, rejected the allegations and termed the case against him politically motivated.
He said it amounted to an infringement of his freedom of speech.
He said his posts had referred to the media’s approach towards the home minister’s US visit and compared it with the treatment of similar incidents during the previous LDF regime.
“Like any other citizen, I have the right to express my opinion on an issue. There is nothing defamatory about anyone in my posts. So, I will not withdraw my Facebook posts,” Arun Kumar said.
In a fresh Facebook post, he also claimed that the FIR registered against him was no longer available on the police website.
When contacted, the cyber police did not give a clear reply on the alleged disappearance of the FIR from the official website. PTI LGK SA
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