Now Reading: Deshabhimani editor K R Ajayan resigns over ‘Kallan Vijayan’ article title
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Deshabhimani editor K R Ajayan resigns over ‘Kallan Vijayan’ article title
K R Ajayan, former editor in charge of Deshabhimani's weekend supplement, has resigned after a row over the title of an article, 'Kallan Vijayan' (Vijayan the Thief). The controversy began when an…
K R Ajayan, former editor in charge of Deshabhimani's weekend supplement, has resigned after a row over the title of an article, 'Kallan Vijayan' (Vijayan the Thief). The controversy began when an article by journalist T C Rajesh about theatre artist Vijayan from Pullampara was withheld by the publication over internal objections to its title. The author later published the piece on social media under the original headline.
The Resident Editor issued a show-cause notice to Ajayan, alleging he refused to change the headline despite editorial board objections and leaked internal information. Ajayan maintained the title was not anti-party and accurately reflected the profile. The internal discord has raised concerns within the party about editorial oversight under Chief Editor Puthalath Dineshan and Resident Editor M Swaraj.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The episode exposes tensions within the CPM's media apparatus over editorial autonomy. Deshabhimani, as the party's official organ, typically enforces strict political discipline, but the handling of a theatre profile has triggered a public spat. The resigning editor's defence that the headline was factual suggests a clash between journalistic norms and party sensitivities. At stake is how the CPM manages internal dissent ahead of local body elections in Kerala. The next flashpoint will be whether the party leadership publicly endorses or distances itself from the editorial team's decision.
Source: english.mathrubhumi.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
