Kerala Police arrested Sooraj Ilanthur, a BJP worker for pointing out the tumbledown condition of a bus stop in Aranmula constituency in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district. He wrote a Facebook post asking legislature Veena George, who is backed by the Communist Party of India-Marxist, of his constituency to pay attention to it and renovate it.
“Dear MLA madam (referring to Veena), it would be helpful if you can address the issue after beauty parlours and Orthodox dinners. Madam you have government vehicle to travel. Otherwise, there would be enough vehicles of the Church or Muthoot (an NBFC).The voters don’t have other means, madam.” Sooraj said in his post on 3rd June. But his request didn’t go down well with the Communist Party of India-Marxist. Veena George filed an FIR against Sooraj and later he was booked under IPC Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to riot) and IPC Section 500 for defamation. MLA Veena George said: “The Facebook post is meant to create communal hatred and insult me as a woman. I can’t remain silent towards such a post.” Sooraj was later released on bail. He clarified he has nothing personal against the MLA and he also refused to delete his post.
MLA Veena George received sharp criticism on social media for her intolerance towards constructive criticism. There is nothing in the post which undermines the modesty of a woman and neither there is anything which is communally provocative. This is a typical tyrannical communist behavior, where they with all their might suppress the voice of people for pointing out even the minute defect. This move shows that the government of Kerala is afraid of constructive criticism. The Kerala government should definitely learn something from the Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. Swaraj took help of social media to understand people’s problems and tried solving it. She in fact saved lakhs of precious lives by using social media as a tool. Railway Ministry is another example of how social media can be used for effective governance.
People of Kerala have faced the wrath of the government for their social media actions in the past as well. Recently a government employee was suspended for sharing a political meme on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Facebook. This case of suspension of a government employee in Kerala shows the blatant double standard of communists and liberals with respect to social media trolling.
Sooraj’s case also shows the biases of Kerala police. Time and again questions have been raised against the working of the Kerala Police. It is alleged that Kerala Police is highly politicized. This shows that there is hardly any difference between Kerala and North Korea. According to the Kerala government their state is the most progressive one in the country but the truth is that it is has converted Kerala into a radical orthodox communist state.
