Over 150 face action for posts against Kerala CM

While several persons are facing police action in Uttar Pradesh for objectionable comments against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in Kerala also over 150 persons are facing either police cases or disciplinary actions for insulting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the social media, many of which were related to the Sabarimala women entry issue.

Kerala Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala of the Congress even drew parallels between Yogi and Pinarayi over this issue in the Kerala Assembly on Tuesday. However, no journalists in Kerala faced action in this regard.

Kerala police had registered cases against 119 persons for posting objectionable comments on social media against Pinarayi Vijayan, ever since he took over as the Kerala Chief Minister in 2016 May. This included 12 state government employees and one central government employee. A total of 41 state government employees, including the 12 against whom cases were registered, are facing disciplinary actions, including suspension from service.

As many as 26 persons were arrested for objectionable remarks against Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the Sabarimala women entry issue.

Interestingly, these details were furnished by the chief minister himself in a written reply to questions in the Kerala Assembly. Though the questions were raised by Congress MLA V T Balaram and Indian Union Muslim League leader M K Muneer in 2019 January, the replies were given recently only.

The Opposition leader also lamented that though swift actions were being taken against those making posts against the chief minister, no prompt actions were being taken on objectionable posts against any ministers or Congress leaders.

According to the reply given in the Assembly, cases were registered against three persons for insulting remarks on social media against the Opposition leader. Eleven complaints regarding insulting comments against the Opposition leader were received and were being probed into, said the reply.