Rival political fronts are raking up the alleged communal campaign during the Lok Sabha polls in the Vadakara segment again.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) is planning to organise an event there on May 11, and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) too has declared that it will highlight the issue in the coming days. The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) recently held a public event in Vadakara titled ‘Youth Alert’ to “uphold values of secular politics”.
The Muslim Youth League (MYL), meanwhile, is taking out a march to the office of the District Police Chief (Kozhikode Rural) on May 9. Mishab Keezhariyur, Kozhikode district president, MYL, alleged on Monday that the police were not taking action against the alleged fake social message with communal overtones that sprang up ahead of the election held on April 26.
On the eve of the election, a WhatsApp message seeking votes for Shafi Parambil, the UDF candidate, calling him a devout Muslim, and not to vote for K.K. Shailaja, the LDF candidate, terming her a non-believer, was widely circulated on social media. While the LDF camp subsequently blamed a Muslim Students Federation leader from Kuttiyadi for creating the message and filed a police complaint, the latter claimed he was in no way connected with it. He also claimed that a fake profile had been created in his name and lodged a complaint with the police as well.
Mr. Keezhariyur said that even a week after the election, the police were not able to nab those who were behind the alleged communal social media message. Also, he alleged that senior CPI(M) leaders continued to behave as if the said message was real. They were also casting aspersions on the secular credentials of UDF leaders. “Some Left leaders and activists have deleted the message from their accounts. However, people such as K.K. Lathika, former Kuttiyadi MLA, who was among the first to share it on her Facebook wall, are yet to remove it. We are demanding action against her as well,” he said.
Asked about the alleged fake videos and social media messages against Ms. Shailaja that surfaced during the campaign, the MYL leader said that none of the senior UDF leaders had endorsed them. He also alleged that prominent Left social media handles had posted communal messages against Mr. Parambil.
