On election eve, LDF ad in Sunni papers sparks controversy

United Democratic Front protests against the front-page advertisements on the Siraj and Suprabhatham newspapers in which LDF candidate P. Sarin seeks the mandate by projecting defected BJP leader Sandeep Varier in RSS uniform

A jacket advertisement placed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in two Sunni newspapers on the eve of the polling day in the Palakkad Assembly constituency on Tuesday added fuel to a chain of controversies that the tumultuous campaign here witnessed over the past one month.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) protested against the front-page advertisements on the Siraj and Suprabhatham newspapers in which LDF candidate P. Sarin sought the mandate by projecting defected BJP leader Sandeep Varier in RSS uniform. The advertisement reproduced several of Mr. Varier’s alleged ‘‘anti-Muslim’’ comments purportedly posted by him on social media when he was with the BJP.

In a complaint to the district electoral officer, the UDF claimed that the advertisement had communally inflammatory content and that it was published without getting the sanction of the Election Commission’s media monitoring committee.

Media panel to look into it

District Collector S. Chithra, who is the district electoral officer, said that the media monitoring committee would meet after the election and look into the complaint whether the advertisement was in violation of the election code of conduct. She said action would be taken on the basis of the finding.

The Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, whose mouthpiece is the Suprabhatham daily, distanced itself from the advertisement, saying that it never urged its followers to vote for anyone. “It is not in our tradition. We have nothing to do with that advertisement,” said Samastha president Syed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal, general secretary K. Alikutty Musliar, treasurer P. Ummer Musliar Koyyode, and secretary M.T. Abdulla Musliar in a joint statement.

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, addressing the media in Kasaragod, described the LDF advertisement as a shameful act of the CPI(M) to create communal divisions. “The CPI(M) has shamed us all. It was like the Kafir screenshot controversy they created against Shafi Parambil in the last leg of the election campaign in Vadakara.”

Mr. Satheesan said the CPI(M) attempted to communalise Mr. Varier’s entry into the Congress. “Why did they not carry the advertisement in CPI(M) mouthpiece Desabhimani? Because, it will be read by people of different communities. Even the Sangh Parivar will hang its head in shame before the CPI(M),” he said.

He castigated Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for allegedly playing divisive politics.

BJP State president K. Surendran told the media in Kanjikode that both the CPI(M) and the Congress were vying for the votes of one particular community. “People could see it from the beef fest to the Waqf issue. They will not forget the appeasement attempts made by the CPI(M) and the Congress during the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) time,” he said.

He said the Indian Union Muslim League’s (IUML) efforts to mediate in the Munambam Waqf issue were a mere election stunt. “Who authorised the IUML to mediate in the Waqf issue? What right does that party have to speak for the Waqf Board,” he asked.

Meanwhile, Local Self-Governments Minister M.B. Rajesh sought to defend the advertisement maintaining that it was “purely political” in nature.  

Published - November 19, 2024 07:34 pm IST