Kerala Journalist Shajan Skaria arrested for casteist remarks against CPIM MLA, released on bail
Kochi: Kerala-based journalist and editor of the online portal Marunadan Malayali, Shajan Skaria, was arrested by the Kerala Police on charges of making casteist remarks against CPIM MLA P.V. Sreenijan. The arrest was made under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after Skaria allegedly made derogatory comments while reporting on the alleged mismanagement of a sports hostel by Sreenijan, who was serving as the District Sports Council chairman at the time.
Skaria, who has faced prior accusations of Islamophobia and casteism, was taken into custody by officers from the Elamakkara Police Station in Ernakulam on Monday. However, he was later released after securing anticipatory bail from the Supreme Court of India, which overturned earlier rejections of his bail plea by both a trial court and the Kerala High Court.
In addition to his role as editor of Marunadan Malayali, Skaria is also the founder-editor of the online platform British Malayali. He has previously been arrested for allegedly spreading communal hatred through online platforms. His latest arrest follows allegations from various quarters, including whistleblower MLA P.V. Anvar, who accused the CPIM-led Kerala government of protecting Skaria.
Marunadan Malayali, the media outlet led by Skaria, has been under fire for promoting content that is often viewed as Islamophobic and casteist. The channel has also been repeatedly criticized for spreading fake news and publishing content that infringes on individuals' personal privacy.
The Kerala High Court had previously issued strong remarks about the nature and style of functioning of Marunadan Malayali, highlighting concerns over the portal's journalistic practices.
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Sonam Wangchuk breaks fast; home ministry to resume talks with Ladakh groups on December 3
New Delhi, Oct 21: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Monday ended his fast along with others, after the home ministry assured them that the talks on Ladakh's demands will be resumed in December.
Join Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Prashant Lokhande met the activists, who were sitting on an indefinite fast at Delhi's Ladakh Bhawan since October 6, and handed them a letter from the home ministry.
The letter said the high-powered committee of the ministry, which was holding talks with representatives from Ladakh, will meet them next on December 3.
Following this, Wangchuk and his supporters decided to break their fast and called off the sit-in.
"On the 16th day of our fast, I am happy to say that our main appeal has been resolved. Just now, the joint secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, came here at the Ladakh Bhawan and handed me this letter, which says the talks going on between the apex body of Leh and the KDA in Kargil with the central government will be resumed very soon, by December," Wangchuk said.
He hoped that the outcome of the talks between the ministry and the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, the two socio-political organisations from the two regions of Ladakh, will be positive.
"The talks will be carried out by these bodies and I hope that very good outcomes will come, not just for Ladakh but for the whole nation.
"I just hope that I do not ever again have to do another anshan (fast) for this reason and it will result in a very happy ending. I want to, on this occasion, thank everybody who supported us in this effort," Wangchuk said.
Chering Dorjay Lakruk, the president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), thanked Wangchuk and others who took out a march for resumption of the talks that were stalled.
"The talks will be resumed now. We have not achieved anything yet. We hope that the talks on our four-point demands will be meaningful," he said.
Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa also hoped that the talks will have a meaningful outcome.
"We had to go back to protest because the talks were not resumed even after (the Lok Sabha) election. We are happy that the talks are being resumed and hope that they will continue till a solution is found.
"We hope that the government will take these talks seriously and our issues will be resolved," Haneefa said.
Wangchuk, along with his supporters, marched to Delhi from Leh demanding Ladakh's inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. They reached the national capital on September 30 after walking for a month.
They were detained at the capital's Singhu border by the Delhi Police and released on the night of October 2.
Wangchuk sat on the fast on October 6 to press for the demand for Ladakh's inclusion in the Sixth Schedule and meet the top leadership of the government to raise the issue.
The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution includes provisions for the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram in the northeast. It establishes autonomous councils that have legislative, judicial, executive and financial powers to independently govern these areas.
The protesters are also demanding statehood, a public service commission for Ladakh and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.
The march to Delhi was organised by the Leh Apex Body, which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, has been spearheading the agitation.
