Mix of Congress, Muslim League and Marxism ... the Cocktail :::: Jyoti Malhotra, 'spy' travel vlogger was once Kerala Govt's "influencer" to boost Tourism

Tourism is one of the mainstays of Kerala - romanticised as God's own country. 

But the socio-political monopoly in the state is held by a cocktail politics. A mix of Marxism, Congress, and the Muslim League.

The saffron polity is marginalised and even hated by "Sickulars". 

Jyoti Malhotra, a travel vlogger from Haryana's Sirsa now under arrest on espionage charges, was once hosted by the Kerala government as part of its influencer campaign to promote tourism in the state.

Jyoti Malhotra was taken into custody by the Hisar police from her residence on May 16. She remains under investigation for her alleged links to Pakistani intelligence operatives. 

According to news agency ANI, a Right to Information (RTI) query revealed that Malhotra was among 41 social media influencers whose trips were fully funded by the state government under an initiative to market Kerala as a global tourist destination. 

The state bore the cost of their travel, accommodation and food, and even engaged a private agency to assist the influencers with video shoots during their stay.

Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammad Riyas defended the decision, saying the government had no knowledge of Malhotra's alleged espionage links at that time. 

"We had no clue about any such connections when she was invited. It has all come out only now," Riyas said.  

The BJP criticised the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government, questioning why the backgrounds of influencers invited for the campaign were not thoroughly checked. 

"RTI reveals Pakistani spy Jyoti Malhotra visited Kerala on Left government invite & was state guest in a sense courtesy Tourism Dept. So Bharat Mata is blocked and Pak Spies are given RED CARPET by Left? 

Tourism Minister Mohammad Riyas is son in law of Vijayan. He should be sacked.. and investigated," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a post on X.

Jyoti, who was arrested on May 16, just days after Operation Sindoor, was among 41 social media influencers engaged by the Kerala Tourism Department between January 1, 2024, and May 21, 2025, official RTI documents have revealed. 

During the state-sponsored promotional campaign, she travelled to Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, with the government covering her travel costs and providing her an honorarium for the assignment.

ends