After its severe drubbing in the Assembly polls, the ‘Kafir’ screenshot case appears to be shaping up as another political setback for the CPI(M), with the special investigation team (SIT) making headway in its efforts to identify those behind it. This comes even as the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is now on the opposition benches after a decade in power, attempts to corner the nascent Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government on multiple issues, ranging from the outbreak of Nipah and other contagious diseases to the contentious PM-SHRI scheme.

The SIT has already arrested Jithin Bhaskaran, a Vadakara block committee member of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPI(M), and reportedly interrogated a few CPI(M) leaders in connection with the case.

The controversy resurfaced after Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and Kuttiyadi MLA Parakkal Abdulla submitted a petition to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala seeking a comprehensive probe, which led to the constitution of the SIT. The controversy has witnessed several twists and turns since it emerged during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign in the Vadakara constituency.

The case centres on a communally charged screenshot shared on social media, urging Muslim voters to support UDF candidate Shafi Parambil of Congress over Left Democratic Front (LDF) nominee K. K. Shailaja of the CPI(M) in Vadakara. The screenshot was initially attributed to P.K. Mohammed Khasim, district secretary of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the student wing of the IUML. He has denied the allegation.

Ms Shailaja, in response to the ongoing probe, maintained that it would be appropriate to investigate all offensive comments posted on online platforms in the Vadakara region during the 2024 election.

“Let the SIT investigation continue. Let it find out who created this (’Kafir’ screenshot). If a crime has been committed, those responsible should be punished,” the CPI(M) Central Committee member told The Hindu.

The UDF has seized on the development to intensify its attack on the CPI(M), arguing that the ‘Kafir’ screenshot case is exposing the party’s “real face”.

“The arrest of the DYFI leader shows that the CPI(M) is willing to resort to communal polarisation for political gains. The arrest is only the tip of the iceberg. The SIT should conduct a thorough investigation and bring all those involved in the case, including its masterminds, before the law,” Mr. Abdulla said.

The timing of the controversy is particularly awkward for the CPI(M), which is still assessing the reasons behind its electoral rout. Still smarting from the electoral debacle, the party was aggressively preparing to mount an offensive against the UDF government on a range of issues as part of its bid for revival. But the resurgence of the ‘Kafir’ screenshot case has forced it back onto the defensive.

DYFI State president V. Vaseef did not respond to requests for comment.