Union Minister of State and BJP leader Suresh Gopi is once again under fire, following another clash with the media that has sparked widespread criticism and protests by the journalists’ fraternity. The latest controversy began when a reporter from a Malayalam news channel accused Gopi of threatening him after he asked a question about a divisive comment the BJP leader made during a campaign speech.
In a recent controversial speech, the actor-turned-politician referred to the Waqf board—an Islamic charitable organisation—as a “four-lettered monstrosity.” His comments were intended to criticise the board while campaigning for BJP candidate Navya Haridas in the Wayanad bye-election. “I will not mention the name of the board, but it’s a monstrosity represented by four letters of the English alphabet,” he said.
Referring to the Waqf board, Gopi went on to say that the Union government would take strong action to “pull out its spine” and ensure “no board will remain upright.”
This provocative language ignited strong reactions from Kerala’s political circles. Leaders from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Congress, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) quickly condemned Gopi’s remarks, with IUML leader PK Kunjhalikutty accusing BJP of divisive tactics and CPI(M) leader AK Balan warning against communalising the issue.
Following these responses, journalist Alex Ram Mohammed from 24 News channel approached Gopi to ask for his reaction to the backlash.
According to Mohammed, Gopi later summoned him in person, asking whether he had ‘fully understood’ his speech. When Mohammed clarified he was only seeking Gopi’s perspective on the reactions to his comments, he alleged that Gopi threatened him, saying, “I’ll show you in the Parliament.” Gopi reportedly even instructed his gunman to record the conversation in an intimidating manner.
This incident prompted the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) and members of the Ernakulam Press Club to stage a protest, demanding that Gopi apologise for his “arrogant” behaviour.
Condemning the actor-politician’s behaviour, KUWJ in a statement said that Suresh Gopi’s arrogance which received applause on the silver screen would not be tolerated by journalists.
They called on BJP’s central leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address his actions, with some members suggesting a media boycott if similar incidents persist.
This isn’t the first time Suresh Gopi’s behaviour toward journalists has raised concerns. Just last year, he caused an uproar when he placed his hand on a woman reporter’s shoulder as she tried to shake it off. He had repeated the gesture until the woman pulled his hand away and asked further questions. The journalist had later posted a video saying how uncomfortable she felt. She later filed a legal complaint, accusing him of outraging her modesty.
More recently, in August, Gopi lodged a police complaint against the media, claiming they obstructed his security team during a public appearance. The incident took place when the reporters sought his comment on the sexual harassment allegations against CPI(M) MLA and actor Mukesh.
He lashed out at reporters, instructing them to ask questions only when “appropriate,” depending on where he was and the circumstances.