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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Sakleshpur: Man on way to his pre-wedding shoot dies on spot as car hits tree
Sakleshpur: In a tragic incident reported from the taluk, a 28-year-old man who was on the way to his pre-wedding shoot died as his car rammed into a roadside tree.
The deceased groom, identified as Manu LN, was a resident of Darbarpet in Lakkunda village, Belur taluk, and was to get married on May 10.
Manu was traveling in his car to get his bride for the shoot when he lost control over the car near Moogali of Sakleshpur taluk and the vehicle hit a tree beside the road.
Manu is learned to have died on the spot due to the impact of the collision.
