Woman CPI(M) leader alleges LoP Satheesan aware of cyber attacks against her

Kochi, Sep 19 (PTI) CPI(M) leader K J Shine on Friday alleged that the social media attacks targeting her and Vypin MLA K N Unnikrishnan had been carried out with the knowledge of the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan.

There were social media defamatory posts that surfaced recently featuring both left leaders.

Speaking to reporters at her residence in North Paravoor, Shine alleged that the cyberattack originated from a person named CK Gopalakrishnan, who handles the Congress’s social media platform.

The CPI(M) leader accused Satheesan, also the MLA from North Paravoor, of being aware of the alleged campaign.

"I am confident it would not have happened without his knowledge. Otherwise, he would have stopped it," she said.

Satheesan, a Congress leader, has not responded to the allegations.

Shine said she had submitted complaints to the Chief Minister, the Director General of Police, and the Women’s Commission.

"I was contacted by the Superintendent of Police’s office. I have given all the evidence to the police, and the investigation has started,” she said.

On those responsible for the cyberattack, she alleged, “No doubt it is from right-wing politics (a reference to Congress-led UDF). They are individuals who were caught engaging in such acts. There are good and bad people everywhere, but a corrective measure is not taking place in Congress.” Her husband Dinus alleged that the campaign reflected an erosion of moral standards.

“Such activities are led by the Congress leadership in North Paravoor. It shows that they would resort to any cheap tricks. Nothing has happened as alleged on social media,” he said.

Shine also claimed that during a recent public event, a Congress councillor known to her had hinted that a “bomb” was coming against her. “Now I realise what that leader meant,” she added.

Meanwhile, MLA K N Unnikrishnan, in a press release on Thursday, said he would fight the allegations legally and politically.

He said the fake Facebook post was created with vested political interests aimed at ending his political career.

Ernakulam District Congress Committee president Mohammed Shiyas had denied the allegations and said that the smear campaign was an outcome of the sectarianism within the Left party.

He said that Congress or its leaders had no role in it and questioned how the grand old party can be blamed for any propaganda being spread on social media by others. PTI TBA TBA ROH