Kerala Political Clash: CPI(M) and Congress Battle Over Media One Channel and Jamaat-e-Islami Links

A big political battle has broken in Kerala between the Communist Party of India (Marxist)[CPI(M)] and the congress party on the issue of the controversial television news channel Media One and its links to Jamaat-e-Islami. This political battle in Kerala has placed religious politics and secular values at loggerheads and both sides are taking a different stand on the editorial content and political message on the channel.

The contentious issue relating to the Media One channel was started by an opinionated political article, which was broadcast on the channel, criticizing the governing party because it was allegedly encouraging Islamophobia, and it was victimizing Muslims to seek the loyalties of Hindu nationalists. This broadcast elicited furious retorts by CPI(M) leaders as well as activists and witnessed demonstrations and exigencies between the two leading political factions in Kerala.

CPI(M) Takes Strong Stand Against Media One Channel

CPI(M) has gone on an offensive against the Media One channel, as it has been claimed to be the center of the political agenda of Jamaat-e-Islami. The state secretary of the party, M.V. Govindan, has led the criticism, especially accusing the channel of the use of a bully pulpit to propagate what he terms as an Islamist agenda.

Dramatically, however another group of irate CPI(M) activists staged a rally in Wandoor on Thursday, where they were said to have threatened Mr. Dawood, over the controversial broadcast. The protesters allegedly threatened to cause physical injuries increasing the Kerala political conflict to a worrying stage.

Govindan has also blamed the channel known as Media One by saying that it has intentionally concealed the destructive nature of such groups as the National Development Front (NDF) and later the Popular Front of India (PFI) which ruined the secular image of Malappuram. He claimed that the channel was making an effort of giving legitimacy to the extremist parties and their actions in Kerala.

The CPI(M) leadership has threatened legal action against the news channel and proceeded with their very own political campaign against the state of allegation that Jamaat-e-Islami poses a danger to secularism and social progress of the state.