Kerala govt faces flak as Meta blocks Baburaj Bhagavathy known for criticising Left's Muslim bias
Activist co-authored Islamophobia Padanangal, 2024 Kerala Islamophobia Report
Meta acted on police request
Thiruvananthapuram: Facebook has restricted access to the account of Kerala-based journalist and rights activist Baburaj Bhagavathy within India, following a legal request from Kerala Law Enforcement under local laws. The action has raised serious concerns over political censorship and suppression of dissenting voices.
Bhagavathy, an author and co-founder of the Islamophobia Research Collective, is widely known for his work documenting state-sponsored repression, communal narratives, and Islamophobia in Kerala, a state ruled by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.
Civil rights organisations have condemned the restriction, describing it as an attempt to silence dissent and suppress voices critical of the state’s treatment of Muslims. The Solidarity Youth Movement Kerala, through its state president Thoufeekh Mampad, said the action amounted to a targeted silencing of one of the state’s most consistent critics of communalism and the misuse of state power.
Bhagavathy is also the co-editor of the Kerala Islamophobia Report 2024, alongside academic Dr. K. Ashraf. The report drew attention to rising anti-Muslim sentiment in Kerala’s media, political narratives, and institutions. His Facebook page had hosted a wide range of writings that critically examined casteism, majoritarianism, and civil liberties violations.
The restriction has effectively cut off Bhagavathy from the digital public sphere within India, even as his work continues to be cited in academic and activist circles. Critics argue that such action is particularly troubling coming from a Left-ruled state that champions itself as secular and progressive.
Bhagavathy was formerly associated with Thejas Daily and currently serves on the editorial board of Maruvakku, a Malayalam-language publication focused on critical political thought.
The case has prompted wider debates around freedom of expression, state surveillance, and the use of social media platforms to curb critical voices. Observers note that this reflects a growing discomfort within governments, including those on the political Left, towards critical engagement and grassroots dissent, particularly when it exposes uncomfortable truths around minority repression.
Meta has yet to issue a public statement, while Kerala government officials have not responded to queries regarding the specific legal grounds for the request.
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
