Fake Deshabhimani Card Used for Propaganda; John Brittas Files Complaint

Thiruvananthapuram: A fresh wave of misinformation has surfaced on social media, with fabricated news cards being circulated in the name of Deshabhimani. These fake visuals closely mimic the newspaper’s logo, design, and format, raising serious concerns over deliberate attempts to mislead the public.

The latest instance involves a forged card falsely attributing a statement to John Brittas, claiming that there was “nothing wrong” in a reported meeting between Pratheesh Viswanath and M Swaraj. Terming the content defamatory, Brittas has filed a complaint with the Kerala Police chief, seeking strict action against those responsible for creating and circulating such material.

In his complaint, Brittas alleged that the misuse of Deshabhimani’s name and logo was intended to tarnish his reputation and create confusion among the public. He called for legal action against those producing and spreading such defamatory content on social media platforms.

Authorities noted that while fake news cards had appeared earlier as well, the scale and frequency of such campaigns have now intensified. Previously, K J Thomas had also lodged a complaint with the state police chief over similar incidents.

The controversy began when certain social media handles circulated a manipulated image suggesting that Pratheesh Viswanath had visited M Swaraj. This was followed by another fake card, purportedly quoting Swaraj as saying the meeting was purely friendly and should not be politicized. Additional fabricated cards were later circulated on unrelated issues, including false claims about infrastructure damage in Wayanad and alleged retractions of earlier news reports.

Some of these fake posts also misused Swaraj’s image and falsely attributed statements to leaders such as K T Jaleel. In one instance, a genuine report about financial collection involving the Indian Union Muslim League was followed by a fake card claiming the newspaper had withdrawn the report and expressed regret.

According to complaints filed by Deshabhimani and its representatives, these coordinated efforts appear aimed at undermining the credibility of the newspaper and political leaders. Both the publication and M Swaraj have urged authorities to take stringent legal action and ensure the removal of such misleading content from social media platforms.