Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former Palakkad MP NN Krishnadas has come under fire for his comment equating media persons with dogs on Friday, October 25. The incident happened when Krishnadas visited CPI(M) area committee member Abdul Shukoor, who announced he was cutting all ties with the party due to the district secretary's humiliation. When the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) demanded an apology from Krishnadas, he said he had utmost contempt for the Union and would not retract his remarks.
On October 25, Abdul Shukoor broke down on live television alleging that he was humiliated by the party leaders for not completing assigned work. Following this, hectic parleys were carried out by the CPI(M) to pacify Shukoor, who was also approached by Congress members. Reporters from various media channels were present outside Shukoor’s house when an agitated Krishnadas asked reporters to not take visuals without his consent. After coming out of the house, Krishnadas said, “The media who reported that there were fissures in the CPI(M) should hang their heads in shame. Those present at Shukoor’s house from morning to dusk, like dogs waiting at a meat shop, should hang their heads in shame.”
When reporters said they were exercising the same right as Krishnadas who visited Shukoor’s residence, the senior CPI(M) leader reiterated his previous comment and asked the journalists to go and wait like “dogs outside a meat shop”. He later emphasised that the comments were not a mistake and were made with deliberation.
In a statement, KUWJ demanded that the Kerala party leadership be prepared to correct and stop NN Krishnadas, alleging that he continuously insults the media. “Even though he is a senior politician, he continues to lash out at media persons in such a way that it makes no sense to expect him to be treated with dignity. The leadership needs to consider how appropriate it would be to bring media workers to the streets when Kerala is facing a fierce election battle,” the statement read.
The incident has sparked severe criticism from the Opposition as well as within the party. Congress leader VD Satheesan said that Krishnadas’ derogatory remarks reflect the language used by the CPI(M) and that the journalists were only doing their job.
Rahul Mamkootathil, the Congress candidate for the bye-election from the Palakkad Assembly constituency, said the public will give a reply to this on the polling day.
Sarin P, an independent candidate for the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), apologised for Krishnadas’s comments. “Referring to journalists as ‘dogs waiting outside a meat shop’ is completely unacceptable. Journalists in Kerala are committed to upholding high standards in their work,” he added.