Kafir post row: Shailaja demands detailed probe; says campaign aimed at destroying LDF

Kozhikode: CPM leader KK Shailaja has sought a detailed investigation into the controversial 'Kafir' post on social media that came out during the Lok Sabha elections. Responding to the report that revealed the involvement of a DYFI leader in sharing the post, the former health minister said cops should bring all people behind the malicious campaign that was aimed at 'destroying the LDF'. She was addressing the media here on Thursday.

Though CPM had alleged that the UDF was behind the post, which sought votes for the CPM leader's opponent Shafi Parambil in Vadakara claiming the CPM leader was a kafir (infidel), police report before the Kerala High Court revealed that an activist of CPM's youth wing DYFI shared the fabricated post first.

“It is clear that people who created the Kafir post never intended to gain support for the LDF. Some social media groups disguised as Left loyalists are engaged in a fake campaign against the CPM and the LDF. During the elections, Mathrubhumi published a piece of news regarding my statement on love jihad. I never issued such a statement. When we raised a complaint, they verified the news and confirmed that the fake statement was circulated on a social media group that doesn't belong to the party. We have filed a complaint with the police regarding this. Similarly, somebody has fabricated the letterhead of Kanthapuram (AP Aboobacker) Musliyar to circulate a fake message. I demand police to find people who are engaged in such fraudulent activities through social media," said Shailaja.

She said she has not read the police report on the kafir post case yet.

Amid the row, Chief Minsiter Pinarayi Vijayan said that involvement men of CPM activists behind the post will be probed in detail.

Meanwhile, Vadakara MLA Shafi Parambil said the people behind the kafir post wanted to divide the voters communally. He demanded an apology from the people who shared the post on social media. “CPM activists created the post and shared it on social media. They should be questioned by the party members themselves. Now, the face of the accused has been revealed. The investigation by police is very slow. If members of other parties were involved in the case, the action from the police would be quick,” said Shafi.

Vadakara constituency was in the limelight during the general elections as it witnessed a battle between two sitting MLAs. Shafi defeated Shailaja with a margin of 1,14,506 votes. Apart from the kafir post, various controversies including a smear campaign against Shailaja made headlines during the polls.