Rejecting the stance taken by Opposition Leader VD Satheesan regarding the visit of vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested in a spy case, to Kerala, former KPCC president K Sudhakaran on Wednesday demanded that State Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas clarify the criteria used to select the controversial vlogger for tourism promotion.
Speaking to the media in Kannur, Sudhakaran said the Tourism Minister’s dismissive response to the controversy was inappropriate.
Sudhakaran’s remarks stand in stark contrast to those of the Opposition Leader, who said the government should not be blamed for “unnecessary matters.” Satheesan had effectively given a clean chit to the government in the issue.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister and BJP leader V Muraleedharan said the state government must take action against the PR agency that facilitated Jyoti Malhotra’s visit. He demanded an explanation of the procedures followed in selecting such agencies for promotional campaigns.
Muraleedharan also criticized Satheesan’s stance, saying, “It’s no surprise that the Opposition Leader is shielding the Tourism Minister. The people will judge the Congress’ approach to matters involving sedition.”
The controversy erupted following the release of a Right to Information (RTI) document that revealed Jyoti Malhotra—who was arrested in connection with a spy case involving Pakistan—had visited Kerala on the official invitation of the Tourism Department.
According to the RTI, the government paid vloggers, including Malhotra, to participate in a tourism promotion campaign. She visited several locations such as Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, producing and releasing video content.
Notably, Malhotra reportedly captured footage of high-security areas during her trip, including the strategically important Cochin Shipyard.
The RTI document confirms that Malhotra, a vlogger from Haryana, was included in the official list of 41 social media influencers engaged by the Kerala Tourism Department for promotional activities.