Malayali writer and All India Radio programme producer K.R. Indira, previously known for sharing anti-Muslim content on social media, is once again caught in controversy after a now-deleted Facebook comment surfaced in which she urged Hindus in Kerala to “take up arms and hack fiercely” instead of merely organising religious rallies.
The remark, made under a post about violence in West Bengal following anti-Waqf protests, has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed calls for legal action against her.
Her comment in Malayalam roughly translated as: “Hindus must learn to take up arms and hack fiercely. It is not enough to learn how to lead a Namajapa (religious) procession.”
The hate-filled comment was made public after a Facebook user named Shahul Ambalath shared a screenshot of Indira’s post.
Despite the alarming nature of the comment, Kerala Police have not yet booked K.R. Indira.
This inaction has angered civil society groups and rights activists, particularly in light of her history of making inflammatory and Islamophobic statements online.
K.R. Indira, who has previously faced charges under IPC Section 153A for promoting enmity between religious groups, was booked in 2020 after she made derogatory remarks about Muslims in the context of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.
In a Facebook post dated September 1, 2020, Indira advocated for sterilising those left out of the NRC and confining them in detention camps. When faced with criticism, she doubled down with even more disturbing remarks, saying contraceptives should be mixed into the community’s drinking water supply “to save the world” — a statement widely condemned as genocidal and hateful.
Kodungalloor police had registered a case against her at the time under IPC Section 153A and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act, which pertains to creating nuisance via communication platforms.
The complaint was filed by human rights activist M.R. Vipindas, and was supported by multiple public figures including writer-activist Rekha Raj, lawyer Sreejith Perumana, and the Students Islamic Organisation.
This is not the first time Kerala Police have failed to act decisively against Indira.
Despite being formally charged for inciting hatred and hurting religious sentiments, no substantial action has been taken.
Prominent public intellectuals and activists had issued a statement in 2020 demanding her removal from All India Radio, arguing that someone with such divisive views should not hold a government position.
Critics have also pointed out the selective policing in Kerala’s legal responses to hate speech.
In several instances, complainants like Usman Kattappana — who condemned Indira’s genocidal comments online — were booked by the police instead of the original offenders.
“There is a dangerous normalisation of such hate-filled rhetoric. Proponents of Hindutva have been peddling these views in public spaces with increasing impunity,” said activist Rekha Raj in an earlier statement.
“This isn’t just about one person, but about a dangerous ideology that’s pushing Muslims into a state of fear and insecurity.”
Civil society organisations and rights activists are demanding immediate legal proceedings against K.R. Indira in connection with her latest comment. They argue that repeated failure to act emboldens hate speech and sets a dangerous precedent for communal harmony in Kerala.
