CPI(M) leader M.V. Jayarajan accuses Kerala’s UDF govt of curbing free speech through police and Meta

M.V. Jayarajan, a CPI(M) state committee member, accused the UDF government in Kerala of suppressing freedom of expression by using the police and Meta to remove posts critical of the government, drawing parallels with the Emergency imposed 51 years ago. He alleged that the government had taken a "U-turn" on several issues it opposed while in opposition, including PM SHRI schools, liquor tax reduction, mineral sand mining, and the appointment of a lawyer linked to a gold theft case. Jayarajan claimed that police cases were being registered against social media users and that Meta removed posts critical of the Chief Minister under Section 78(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. He also alleged that the government was using the police and Meta to restrict free speech, describing it as "anti-democratic, regressive, and reprehensible."