Kerala centre of anti-left and pro-right media, not seen anywhere else in world: CPI(M)

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala on Sunday claimed that the southern state is a hub of anti-left media which is involved in creating pro-right wing ideas, unlike anywhere else in the world.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan made the comment while clarifying what he had said recently regarding a woman journalist of a prominent Malayalam channel being booked in a conspiracy-cum-defamation case.

The police action against the journalist was taken in connection with an alleged fake exam result of SFI's state secretary P M Arsho.

At a press conference held here, Govindan claimed his remarks were misinterpreted and that he did not say that the media would face legal action for reporting against the Left government in the state or the SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M).

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"What I said was that a case would be taken against anyone who is involved in such conspiracies to create news. The law is equally applicable to everyone, even journalists. There is no bar on reporting, but in the instant case it was not reporting," he said.

The CPI(M) state secretary said the media in Kerala were responsible for attributing a wrong statement to him and spreading it.

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"This happens nowhere else in the world, only here. Only in Kerala do you see such anti-Communist stand and the creation of pro-right wing ideas by the majority of the media. Majority of the media are against us. "Let me say it again. Kerala is the centre for media which is anti-Left and creates pro-right wing ideas," Govindan alleged.

He went on to claim that a conspiracy against Arsho was hatched as per script, and it should be investigated and action taken against those who were allegedly involved in it.

On June 11, Govindan had told reporters, "In the name of press reporting, if an anti-government or anti-SFI campaign is run, then they will be included in the case. It has been done in the past and will happen again. Let there be no doubt about it. "Everyone who was part of the conspiracy (in Arsho case) will be brought before the law," he had said.

A case was registered by police under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code such as Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 465 (forgery) and 500 (defamation) among others on June 9 against five persons, including the journalist.

A controversy erupted on June 6 after KSU raised an allegation showing a mark list in which Arsho, who is also a student of Maharaja's College in Ernakulam, had "passed" even though he did not attend any exam.

Later, the college clarified that his name was seen among another batch's results and clarified that it was a technical error.

"A fake result was published in March 2023 in which the complainant has cleared an exam, which he did not even register for and the same was circulated through social media on June 6 with an intention to tarnish the image of the complainant and the SFI," the FIR read.

Arsho alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the incident.