India: Muslim journalist faces abuse after questioning BJP candidate

ISLAMABAD: A female journalist in India's Kerala state has alleged that she faced online abuse and threats after questioning a BJP candidate about a cash-for-votes controversy.

The incident marks the latest escalation in a row that has already triggered an official inquiry and raised concerns over the safety of journalists covering the case.

Maktoob Media reported that journalist Shamna K, a Muslim, who works with Malayalam news channel Big TV, received abusive messages and misogynistic remarks across social media after pressing Sobha Surendran at a press conference.

According to Maktoob, the exchange took place after Shamna asked Surendran whether the woman seen in a video allegedly distributing cash to voters was linked to the BJP candidate.

The report said Surendran did not give a clear answer and ended the press conference soon afterward.

The controversy comes amid an ongoing probe into allegations that cash was distributed to influence voters in Palakkad ahead of the Kerala Assembly election.

The Times of India reported that the district inquiry has concluded and that a final report is expected next week, although it is still pending the statement of an elderly woman allegedly seen receiving the money.

The inquiry has included statements from Surendran, rival candidates and other witnesses connected to the case.

The issue has also raised wider concern about the treatment of journalists reporting on the episode.

Earlier this month, police protection was provided to MediaOne Palakkad reporter Sajid Ajmal after intelligence reportedly flagged threats linked to BJP-RSS circles over his reporting on the same alleged cash-for-votes incident.

That development was reported by both Maktoob and Madhyamam, the new outlets.

Taken together, the latest developments suggest that journalists pursuing sensitive questions in the Palakkad controversy are facing an increasingly hostile environment.

Threats, political pressure and allegations of intimidation are now becoming a parallel story to the cash-for-votes probe itself.