The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized the Kerala police for arresting YouTuber Shajan Skaria over allegations of broadcasting defamatory content about a woman, calling it an infringement on constitutional rights and press freedom.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar condemned the actions of the Kerala police, particularly highlighting the fact that Skaria was arrested late at night while dining, and was not allowed to change his clothes. He accused the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) of showing “intolerance” towards constitutional rights and freedom of the press.
Chandrasekhar stated that the BJP would not accept such authoritarian actions, especially in states governed by the INDIA Alliance, which often claims to support constitutional freedoms, including freedom of expression and press.
Skaria was arrested on Monday night by Kerala’s cyber police after a woman, residing abroad, filed a complaint accusing him of airing defamatory content about her. The police noted that she had also provided a statement against him in court under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The BJP leader reiterated that his party would not tolerate actions that violated the constitutional rights of individuals in Kerala, and vowed to resist such measures at all costs. He also expressed strong opposition to the “police raj” in the state, which he claimed targeted political dissent.
Skaria faces charges under non-bailable sections 75(1) and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police (KP) Act. The incident has sparked widespread debate on the balance between legal action and freedom of expression in Kerala.
