Stung by a significant setback in the recent Kerala local body elections, the ruling CPI(M) has ignited a fresh controversy by targeting a viral parody of a devotional song dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. The party alleges the song hurts religious sentiments and has demanded police action, a move the Opposition labels as "double standards" and an attempt to deflect from the real reasons behind the Left's electoral defeat.
Poll Debacle and the Sabarimala Gold Theft Shadow
The political storm comes in the direct aftermath of the local body polls, where the alleged theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple is widely perceived as a key factor behind the Left Democratic Front (LDF)'s poor performance. The parody song, based on the popular devotional track "Swamiye Ayyapo," was extensively used by the Congress and BJP during their campaign to criticise the CPI(M)-led government over the gold scandal.
Interestingly, the CPI(M) raised no objections to the song's circulation during the intense campaigning period. The controversy escalated on Wednesday, December 18, 2025, when senior CPI(M) leader and LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan demanded legal action if the parody was found to have insulted the faithful. His stance was quickly echoed by other party leaders.
The CPI(M)'s Offensive and Opposition's Counterattack
Raju Abraham, the CPI(M)'s Pathanamthitta district president (where the Sabarimala temple is located), claimed the party was planning to approach the Election Commission. He accused the Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) of soliciting votes in the name of religion, a potential violation of the Model Code of Conduct. "The parody should not have been made. The Congress has tried to make political gains out of it," Abraham stated.
The Opposition hit back fiercely. The Congress camp pointed to the "double standards" of the CPI(M) regarding freedom of expression. They recalled a 2018 statement by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had defended artistic freedom when a Malayalam film director faced police complaints for allegedly hurting Muslim sentiments.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal accused the CPI(M) of chasing the creators of the parody song instead of introspecting on the reasons for its poll loss. Former Congress MLA V T Balram alleged the ruling party only cried blasphemy after the names of the parody's writer and singer became public, taking the debate to "dangerous levels."
Details of the Parody and the Confusing Complaint
The parody song references the Sabarimala gold theft case, the prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty, and the CPI(M). It was penned by Qatar-based writer G P Kunhabdulla Chalappuram and sung by Danish Muhammed from Malappuram.
In a twist, while a complaint was filed with the state police chief by an individual named Prasad Kuzhikkala—citing the writer, composer, and singer—the chairman of the very committee he claimed to represent distanced the group from the action. K Haridas, chairman of the Thirubharana Patha Samrakshana Samithi, clarified that the song did not hurt religious sentiments and the complainant had no links to their organisation.
This incident highlights the often-blurred lines between political satire, devotional expression, and electoral strategy in Kerala, where parody songs are a common campaign tool. The CPI(M)'s post-poll offensive, however, has shifted the focus squarely onto questions of political hypocrisy and the fallout from the Sabarimala gold scandal.
