Kochi, Dec 27 Kerala's Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Saturday launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the arrest and questioning of senior Congress leader N. Subramanian in connection with the circulation of an image showing Vijayan with Sabarimala gold heist case prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti.
Satheesan said the way the police took Subramanian into custody early Saturday from his residence amounted to the conduct of an "autocratic ruler", alleging that Kerala was being pushed towards a climate of fear.
"This is not Stalin’s Russia or Idi Amin’s Uganda. This is democratic Kerala," he said.
Satheesan noted that visuals of the Chief Minister meeting Potti had been carried by mainstream media and alleged that the police action was a retaliatory move following the CPI-M’s alleged false propaganda against Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
He accused the government of selective enforcement of the law, claiming that while opposition leaders were swiftly targeted for social media posts, complaints against the CPI-M’s cyber campaigns were routinely ignored.
He alleged that CPI-M-backed social media handles had launched repeated personal and "sexually coloured" attacks against women journalists, opposition leaders, and even family members of political figures.
“The CPI-M has been the biggest abuser of AI tools,” Satheesan said, citing the circulation of an AI-generated video purportedly showing Congress leaders dancing.
"Will the police arrest those responsible?" he asked.
Taking direct aim at Vijayan, Satheesan said the government had shown leniency towards CPI-M leaders convicted in serious crimes, including bomb attacks on police, while "law-abiding citizens are arrested from their homes at night".
He alleged corruption in the parole system and accused the government of shielding criminals, drug mafias and those linked to the Sabarimala gold theft.
Satheesan dismissed claims that the image shared by Subramanian could trigger unrest, calling the argument "absurd", and warned that attempts to intimidate the Opposition would fail.
"The Congress and the UDF will not retreat. If this continues, you will have to arrest all of us," he said.
He also warned the ruling front that public discontent was mounting and that the people would deliver a "much stronger verdict in 2026".
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