‘This is not Stalin’s Russia’: Satheesan slams police action in CM Vijayan-Potti AI image row
Kochi, Dec. 27 – In a sharp criticism of the state government, Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition, V.D. Satheesan, took aim at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday over the police arrest and interrogation of senior Congress figure N. Subramanian. Satheesan said the move came after an image was circulated showing the Chief Minister with Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold‑heist case.
“They’ve taken Subramanian into custody early Saturday from his home,” Satheesan said, calling it the conduct of an “autocratic ruler.” He warned that such actions push the state toward a climate of fear. “This is not Stalin’s Russia or Idi Amin’s Uganda. This is democratic Kerala,” he added.
The opposition leader pointed to media coverage that had shown the Chief Minister meeting Potti, arguing that the police raid was a retaliatory response to what he described as false propaganda by the CPI‑M against Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Satheesan accused the government of selective law enforcement. He said opposition leaders were targeted quickly for their social‑media posts, while complaints about the CPI‑M’s cyber campaigns were routinely ignored. He noted that CPI‑M‑backed social‑media accounts had repeatedly launched personal, “sexually coloured” attacks against women journalists, opposition figures, and even family members of political leaders.
“The CPI‑M has been the biggest abuser of AI tools,” Satheesan said, citing an AI‑generated video that allegedly showed Congress leaders dancing. He asked whether the police would arrest those responsible for that content.
In a further critique, Satheesan highlighted what he said was leniency toward CPI‑M leaders convicted of serious crimes, including bomb attacks on police, while law‑abiding citizens were arrested from their homes at night. He alleged corruption within the parole system and accused the government of shielding criminals, drug mafias and individuals linked to the Sabarimala gold theft.
He dismissed concerns that the circulated image could spark unrest as “absurd” and warned that attempts to intimidate the opposition would fail. “The Congress and the UDF will not retreat,” he declared. “If this continues, you will have to arrest all of us.”
Satheesan also cautioned the ruling front that public discontent is mounting and that voters will deliver a “much stronger verdict” in the upcoming 2026 elections.
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