CPI(M) to boost its legal cell in Keralam to counter ‘fake news, misinformation’ targeting party

representational image | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has decided to step up the activities of its legal cell in Keralam to counter what it perceives as fake news and targeted spreading of misinformation in social media platforms and public forums to discredit the party and its leaders.

A senior CPI(M) leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Hindu that though the party already has a legal cell, it felt the need to further strengthen its activities considering “the volume of misinformation being spread against the party” in recent times.

“Till now, we used to ignore many of these attempts to spread fake news and misinformation targeting the party. However, now we have decided that legal action has to be taken in all instances where it warrants one because there is such a constant flow of misinformation against the party on a daily basis these days,” said the leader.

The legal cell will have the active participation of senior High Court advocates as well as left lawyers’ collectives formed in all districts.

The extended Kerala State Committee meeting of the CPI(M) in September this year had discussed the issue and suggested corrective measures. Speaking at the meeting, CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby had said that the “deliberate creation of a false perception against Left democratic forces” among the masses had played a key role in the reverses suffered by the party in Keralam in recent times. He also admitted that the Left should have been more alert in responding to the construction of this false perception.

Earlier this year, CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan had also come out strongly against a section of “corporate-controlled right-wing media”, accusing them of spreading false narratives and fake news to undermine the party as well as to scuttle the corrective measures being initiated within it following the Assembly election defeat.

Published - November 13, 2026 02:04 pm IST