MoS Chandrashekhar Vs CM Vijayan: How Blasts Were Used To 'Discredit Kerala'

A case has been registered against Union MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar for "promoting enmity between groups."

The Kerala police on Tuesday, 31 October, registered a case against Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar for allegedly making statements "promoting enmity between different groups."

(Photo: Vibhushita Singh/The Quint)

Days after explosions rocked a convention centre in Kerala's Kalamassery claiming three lives, the state police on Tuesday, 31 October, registered a case against Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar for allegedly making statements "promoting enmity between different groups."

'Linking' the attack to a pro-Palestine rally held in Malappuram district on Friday, 27 October, the MoS had made several statements accusing the Kerala government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of showing "tolerance towards radicalisation and radical elements."

Apart from Chandrasekhar, BJP leaders, including Anil Antony (who was also booked in a separate case of hate speech), and right-wing handles on X (formerly Twitter) seemingly linked the blasts to the Israel-Hamas war and Kerala's apparent support of the Palestinian cause.

This is despite DGP Sheikh Darvesh Sahib strictly warning the public against spreading hate speech on social media in connection with the blast. "I request that no provocative words or hate be posted on social media. If anybody does that, stringent action will be taken against them," he said.

How did the disinformation campaign unfold? How has the Kerala government responded? Here's everything you need to know.

But First, What Did the FIR Say?

The First Information Report (FIR) accessed by The Quint states that "in the wake of the bomb blast at Kalamassery in Ernakulam district, with the intention and concern to create riots in Kerala, Rajeev Chandrasekhar made provocative statements such as 'Palestinian terrorist group Hamas' through his Facebook page."

"The accused tried to create a riot by creating a religious rivalry against a religious group by spreading it through social media and breaking the harmonious atmosphere in Kerala," it added.

The case was registered at Ernakulam Central police station under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation, with intent to cause riot) and 153-A of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Kerala Police Act. The FIR was filed based on a report submitted by the Ernakulam Cyber Cell.

The case against Chandrasekhar came after both Left and Congress leaders appealed to the government to take action against not just him but also BJP leader Anil Antony for similar statements.

The Congress said in a statement on Monday, 31 October, alleging that Chandrasekhar "planted a baseless international conspiracy theory and hate propaganda about the Kalamassery blast." It further added that a case has also been registered against Anil Antony "who has been tasked by the BJP to discredit the Kerala state."

Rajeev Chandrasekhar Vs Pinarayi Vijayan

Shortly after the attack on Sunday, Chandrasekhar tweeted: "Price of appeasement politics of Cong and CPM will always be borne by innocents of all communities - That is what history has taught us. Brazen appeasement politics – shameless even by Cong/CPM/UPA/INDI alliance standards to invite Terrorist Hamas to spread hate & call for "Jihad" in Kerala [sic]."

Chandrasekhar was referring to a pro-Palestine rally that was organised on Friday, 27 October, by Solidarity Youth Movement, the youth wing of the organisation Jamaat-e-Islami, in Malappuram. Khaled Mashal, the former head of Palestinian militant group Hamas, virtually addressed the rally in a purported pre-recorded message.

"Together, we will defeat Zionists and we will stand united for Gaza, which is fighting for Al Aqsa (mosque). Israel is taking revenge on our residents. Houses are being demolished. They have destroyed more than half of Gaza," he reportedly said in the message.

The Quint, however, has not been able to independently verify this.

Speaking to the media on the day of the attack, CM Vijayan urged the public and political party leaders to refrain from sharing communal narratives prematurely – and warned that strict action would be taken against them.

Without naming the MoS, the CM said: "On what basis did he make these statements [linking the pro-Palestine event with the blasts]? Was he in possession of any sensitive information that prompted him to make such a statement? This is a grave issue. People should not be misled. We will take this on legally."

The blasts targeting a prayer meeting of the Christian denomination Jehovah's Witnesses on Sunday, 29 October, were allegedly orchestrated by a former member of the group, Dominic Martin. He claimed responsibility for the blasts later that day via a Facebook Live, alleging that the group promotes "problematic concepts" and "anti-national ideas."

On Monday, even as the police were probing Dominic Martin's confession, Chandrasekhar, in a press conference at Kalamassery, reiterated:

"Under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala has shown increasingly a tolerance towards radicalisation and radical elements. There is a history of appeasement of radical elements by both the Left and Congress governments in Kerala."

"When an organisation like Hamas is allowed to preach hatred and jihad in Kerala, it is free speech for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The government will not do anything," he added.

He also said in a tweet in Malayalam on the same day:

"There is no greater irony or frustration than a Chief Minister who is also the Home Minister trying to make it appear that he is protecting Kerala's identity by allowing the venom and hatred of Hamas to reach Kerala."

Responding to Chandrasekhar's allegations, CM Vijayan told the media later that day:

"I am not asking what is wrong with him [Chandrasekhar]. He is a man who has entered politics because he is well-versed with BJP politics. I had spoken to the Union Home Minister the other day and informed him in detail about the matter. His [Chandrasekhar] remarks and those of his associates were aimed at a certain section. It is only because Rajeev Chandrasekhar's distorted mind cannot see it, and that is why it is not possible to destroy Kerala's identity."

The CM, at the same time, said that the Kerala Police is looking into the pro-Palestine event held at Malappuram and that they would take action "if something wrong has happened."

He also said that while the police are actively probing the confession of Dominic Martin – who also reportedly submitted evidence of his alleged crime – they are also exploring other angles in the blast case.

The Narratives That Were Shared on Social Media

BJP national president JP Nadda, who had arrived in Kerala on Monday, said in a tweet: "Radical forces are continuously raising their heads in Kerala, but the attitude of the Kerala government towards the radical forces is quite soft ... A few days ago, the Hamas leader had addressed a program in Kerala."

The same, unverified connection was made by others as well. BJP leader Anil Antony tweeted:

Here are some other tweets linking the two incidents:

In fact, Dominic Martin's confession has prompted some others to tweet that he did not do it alone.

Some X handles also claimed that the blasts occurred in Kalamassery where "Jews live." These claims have been debunked by WebQoof, The Quint's fact-checking team. You can read more about that here.