APOLOGY ISSUED OVER UNAUTHORISED REMARKS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has formally apologised to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant following a controversial social media post published on the official X account of the state party unit.

The apology was delivered in an official response to a legal notice issued by Meenesh Dubey, joint secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association.

KPCC President Sunny Joseph stated in his reply that the contentious post had been published without proper authorisation and did not reflect the official stance or position of the Indian National Congress. According to the state leadership, internal action has already been taken, and the individual identified as responsible for the post, Vijay Thottathil, has been removed from his position.

POLITICAL BACKLASH DURING INDIA BLOC PROTEST

The controversy erupted when the Kerala Congress unit's official social media handle published remarks targeting the Chief Justice amid a high-profile demonstration organised by the INDIA opposition bloc.

The protest march to the Supreme Court was originally planned by opposition parties to press demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. However, the focus shifted dramatically when the state unit's account carried a post expressing frustration over the Chief Justice's stated inability to meet with INDIA bloc delegation leaders due to legal constraints.

The post included severe remarks directed at the head of the judiciary, prompting swift political and legal condemnation. Realising the gravity of the situation, the Kerala Congress unit quickly deleted the post.

DAMAGE CONTROL BY STATE LEADERSHIP

The incident placed the state Congress leadership in an embarrassing position, overshadowing the core objectives of the opposition's protest march. By promptly dispatching a formal legal reply and distance-keeping measures, the KPCC president—who also serves as the State Power Minister—has sought to draw a firm line under the episode, placing on record the party's unconditional regret to the highest judiciary of the nation.