Pinarayi govt in Kerala ‘itself a brand in PR exercise’, slams Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese mouthpiece

The Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Catholic Church has come down heavily on the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, calling it a “brand in PR exercise.”

In a hard-hitting editorial of the latest issue of its mouthpiece Sathyadeepam, the archdiocese called the government out on a variety of issues, including the launch of a new brand of liquor, alleged data breach and spending on publicity campaigns.

“Was it because the government failed to build a notable brand in the fields of health, education, or tourism during its years in power that it thought of launching a liquor brand called ‘Minnal Magic’ at lightning speed during the election season?,” the editorial asked.

It said if one were to review the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government’s public relations efforts aimed at transforming public perception about its governance failures, “it would not be an exaggeration to say that the government itself is a brand in election-time PR campaigns.”

Citing the Opposition United Democratic Front’s (UDF) allegation that the government spent nearly ₹150 crore last year (2025) alone on advertisements funded through KIIFB borrowings, the editorial slammed the government for conducting the Nava Kerala Survey and an international conclave under the banner ‘Vision 2031’.

“It is being claimed that if the government does not get re-elected, everything initiated by it will come to a halt. It is as if the people are unaware that administrative systems continue even when governments change,” the article said.

Questioning the alleged data breach behind the government sending promotional messages to government employees and private entrepreneurs, the editorial said, “A government that is duty-bound to protect citizens’ life and property must also safeguard their privacy. Instead, it stands accused of openly violating data protection norms and service rules. If such misuse of administrative systems had occurred at the hands of the Central government, what would have been the scale of protest?”

“The blurring of lines between government machinery and party propaganda, and between development activities and election-driven promotion, threatens the fairness of the electoral process,” it said.