FRONT END - Sunday Special ::: Kairali scam of Kerala .... Thanks Comrades; Etu !! I Cannot say Brutus ...., there is one Brittas ... Marxism can often surpass even Brutus !!

Political connections help. That's called lobbying too. In Delhi, people better know this as Jugad; and hence its a virtue and often get rewarded. 

Film stars or other celebrities also need such nexus -- actually both 'holy' and also unholy!

Kerala film star Mammootty has his share of glories. Yes, comrades will tell you that he also had good connections to Karl Marx admirers in God's own country. 

Of course, one may say he has never been a faultless fellow as his reputation with the CPI-M goes. In 2021 - he was denied ticket to Rajya Sabha and Marxists' blessings for the flight to New Delhi went to John Brittas, a journalist-turned-high flying MD of a popular news channel. 

Brittas had Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's ears and confidence and hence that matters. 

In a Facebook post in September 2024, Congress neta Phillip Cherian claimed that while the CPI-M has "utilized Mammootty for the past 25 years" to bolster their acceptance among the public, he was not rewarded.  

The Rajya Sabha ticket debate may be taken up some other day. But now -- 

"Tensions between Kairali TV Chairman Mammootty and MD John Brittas have escalated, bringing financial turmoil into the spotlight. 

Allegations have surfaced that over 200,000 Malayalis who invested in the channel have yet to receive any profits, and the channel has not reported any gains since its inception," - says a report in Karma News website.

Link

Things appear much bigger than what appears on surface. The Karma news web also claims --

"Additionally, claims have emerged about a private company named Kairali Arabia operating in the Gulf, which is allegedly involved in siphoning off Kairali’s Gulf advertisement revenue and donations. 

In Kerala, two private companies—MCL Media Private Limited and Kairali Television Private Limited—are reportedly operating under Brittas’ name, further raising suspicions. These companies are said to be misleading the public into believing they are owned by Malayalam Communications Limited, the actual owner of Kairali TV." 

If things are fishy and 'genuine poor shareholders' are suffering; it is also possible that there could be  money laundering.  But the Mammooty and Brittas differences have left shareholders shocked. Most of them have two things common.

Either they are poor or they are Left supporters; or in many cases the faceless sufferers are both.  But one thing that has been highlighted in a few circles is, -

that John Brittas "has been accused of major fraudulent activities that have raised eyebrows across Kerala", claims another report. 

Sources say there was a controversial resolution of the company board in 2017 when it fixed the face value of share to Rs 10,000.

Earlier from 2000 for 17 years they reportedly allowed share holding of Rs 10 only.

Such shareholders could be a few lakhs, sources claim. 

Hence, those who have taken share for less than Rs 10000 are cheated . Most of these shareholders are of real proletarians like head load workers and rickshaw pullers. The bulk of the share revenue had been raised from this group. 

A towering Marxist leader is behind the screen and the real boss pulling the strings. His 'younger relative' is also allegedly playing his part in the feud.

It is worth mentioning that propaganda politics is more often a success tale in Kerala.

A book by a former journalist titled ‘Solar (Vi)shesham’ (solar and after) has claimed that the state's much talked about 'solar scam' was orchestrated to politically and personally destroy late Congress leader Oommen Chandy.

Chandy was the Chief Minister of Kerala on two occasions, first from 2004 to 2006 and then had a full term from 2011 to 16. It was in his second tenure that the solar scam took place.

Written by John Mundakayam, who headed the Thiruvananthapuram bureau of the Malyala Manorama, the book says:

“The opposition believed smearing Chandy’s image was essential to regain power, leveraging his popularity from projects like the Kochi Metro Rail and the Vizhinjam project. The scandal began when certain ruling party members conspired with the opposition". 

Communism has many faces. 

ends