India news: Kerala arrest highlights online harassment of women at CJP protest
08/10/2026 August 10, 2026 Right-wing commentator arrested over sexual assault remarks targeting protesters Right-wing accounts on social media are targeting the women at the CJP
08/10/2026 August 10, 2026 Right-wing commentator arrested over sexual assault remarks targeting protesters Right-wing accounts on social media are targeting the women at the CJP protests, reports say [FILE: July 25, 2026] Image: Sajjad Hussain/AFP An activist who considers himself a right-wing "political commentator" was arrested in the southern state of Kerala on Sunday over remarks he allegedly made about the women at the Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests last month, media reports said.
The case was registered following a complaint alleging that videos on TG Mohandas' YouTube channel, Pathrika, were intended to disturb public order and create fear and unrest. According to reports, in the videos, Mohandas allegedly said the Delhi protests could lead to gang rape and claimed that women attending it "like rape" and that some "enjoy being raped." He also called for police to open fire at protesters. News channel NDTV reported that Mohandas is a former member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
However, the RSS has denied any association with the commentator. The BJP on Monday criticized the arrest as "discriminatory" and accused the Kerala government of attempting to divert attention from other issues, reports said. Women protesters being targeted online The development comes amid an online campaign targeting women who took part in CJP-led student protests. The countrywide stir ended last month with the resignation of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Multiple reports indicate that young women involved in the movement are facing severe online harassment.
They have been targeted with fake and AI-manipulated images, as well as a barrage of online abuse, including assault threats. Additionally, their phone numbers and home addresses have been leaked online alongside targeted attacks against their family members.
The BriefWire