Opposition accuses UDF government of ‘undeclared social media emergency’ in Kerala

The Opposition Left Democratic Front (UDF) on Wednesday accused the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government of clamping down an “undeclared social media emergency” by allegedly removing several posts as well as news reports related to the arrest of Youth Congress leaders on synthetic drug peddling charges. Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday posted screenshots of the removal of news reports of his own statements on one of the accused being close to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan.

All posts and news reports which were removed were from platforms managed by Meta. As per the screenshots, access to the news reports from the Facebook pages of News Malayalam 24X7, Reporter Live, Kairali News and Deshabhimani were restricted in India as per “legal requirements” under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Such regional blocking of posts are usually carried out under demands from the government. Some social media users also posted that their earlier posts with videos and photographs of one of the MDMA case accused with the Chief Minister were removed.

Mr. Vijayan said that the Opposition has supported the government’s ‘Operation Toofan’ to clamp down on drug peddling networks. However, when a person who claims to be the Chief Minister’s social media coordinator was caught in the operation, the government has intervened to hide the news from the public.

“The Chief Minister and the UDF are trying to suppress the freedom of expression of the media and the Opposition just like how it was done during the Emergency. Even the statement of the Leader of the Opposition is being prevented from reaching the people. Is the government trying to protect drug traffickers through such measures? The Home Minister should respond,” he said.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] Central Committee member P. Rajeeve accused the UDF government of misusing the Union government’s IT Act 2021 to suppress criticism.

“The law provides for the removal of posts that affect national security, fake news and those that cause law and order disruption through hate propaganda. But what is happening in Kerala? The government is encroaching on press freedom through the back door by blocking their social media posts, without directly banning the media. Some media outlets are also reporting that this is being implemented using the Modi government. If this is true, it is clear how carefully the Modi government is protecting the UDF government,” said Mr. Rajeeve.

CPI(M) Central Committee member K.K. Shailaja said the fact that even criticisms that naturally arise in a democratic society against an elected government are being suppressed using loopholes in the law raises suspicions that an emergency-like situation has been created in the State.

“It has been 48 hours since the person who claims to be the Chief Minister’s social media coordinator was caught with MDMA. The Chief Minister or the Chief Minister’s office has not yet given any explanation on this issue, but news related to this is being widely deleted,” she said. 

The Facebook page of T21, a left-leaning news platform, was also allegedly removed.

Students Federation of India (SFI) State president M. Sivaprasad, who posted screenshots of one of his posts which was removed, said that Mr. Satheesan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are birds of the same feather in their intolerance to criticism.

Former Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, former Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas and several other CPI(M) leaders condemned the blocking of news reports and social media posts. The government is yet to respond to the allegations.