Thiruvananthapuram: A political war of words has broken out in Kerala following the swift release on bail of right-wing political commentator T G Mohandas, who was taken into custody over controversial online comments regarding a student demonstration over the NEET exam paper leak in New Delhi.

Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan stated on Tuesday that Mohandas managed to secure bail due to a legal "loophole," while Kazhakootam BJP MLA V Muraleedharan hit back, describing the police action as "selective retaliation" orchestrated by the state government.

Mohandas was taken into custody on Monday morning after police registered a case over statements made on his YouTube channel, 'Pathrika', alleging they were published with the intent to incite fear, disturb public order, and provoke unrest. However, he obtained bail later the same day.

Reacting to the development, Health Minister Muraleedharan told reporters that the government would review how the prosecution handled the case and implement appropriate measures moving forward.

"He was booked for offences for which it was not easy to get bail, as that was the kind of statements he made. He got bail on a loophole. Nevertheless, the government will take a stringent steps in the matter," he asserted.

Conversely, BJP leader V Muraleedharan condemned the arrest, characterising the state administration's actions as biased and targeted persecution. While acknowledging that opinions on Mohandas' comments might differ, the BJP legislator pointed out that individuals who directed "heinous" remarks against the Prime Minister and his mother have faced no law enforcement action.

He asserted that single out a specific individual highlights the administration's political motives, accusing the government of offering protection to certain figures while retaliating against others on a selective basis.

The case against Mohandas includes charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act, and the Kerala Police Act.

According to the complaint, Mohandas stated in his uploaded video that the student protests in Delhi "could lead to incidents of gang rape" and claimed that there would be no complaints because "those attending the protest like rape and there are girls who enjoy being raped". He further alleged that while several individuals might lose their lives or sustain severe injuries during dispersing actions, authorities would regain control within hours and transport the bodies to hospitals. (PTI)