Kerala Police case against mic operator for glitch during CM’s speech kicks up a row

A row has erupted in Kerala over a case registered by the police over the malfunctioning of a microphone, which interrupted the speech of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for a few seconds during a recent programme organised to commemorate the life of late Congress stalwart Oommen Chandy.

The Cantonment police in Thiruvananthapuram, which recorded the statement of the microphone operator and confiscated his equipment, including the amplifier and cable used during the programme, later ended further proceedings following instructions from the chief minister, an official source told PTI. The case was filed on Tuesday (July 25).

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The source said when Vijayan came to know about the suo motu police action on the matter, he directed the cops to drop further proceedings. The police later handed over the equipment back to the local microphone operator. Earlier, a senior police officer said that no complaint was received about the malfunctioning of the microphone, but the case was registered as per instructions from higher-ups.

The programme to commemorate Chandy, who died in Bengaluru last week, was organised on Monday (July 24) evening at the Ayyankali Hall by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.

The case was registered under Kerala Police Act Section 118 (e) for causing danger to public or failure in public safety. “The registering of the case is just a technical matter. We have been directed by our higher-ups to confirm if the malfunctioning of the microphone during the CM’s speech was due to any technical snag. For that, we have to send the equipment for scientific examination,” the senior police officer told PTI.

The state-run agencies would be ready for any such scientific examination only if the request is submitted with the crime number registered and other similar details, he explained.

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“That’s why we are saying that it is just a technical procedure. There is no need for any controversy. If it is found during the examination that the malfunctioning of the microphone was a technical fault, the issue will be over there,” he further said.

The officer also rejected the reports that appeared in a section of media that a case had also been registered against the Congress workers who raised slogans supporting late Chandy during Vijayan’s speech. “No such case was registered till this morning,” he added.

Meanwhile, Renjith, the local microphone operator who supplied equipment during the commemoration programme, said microphone howling was just normal and it was resolved within seconds. He expressed surprise on knowing that a case was registered on the matter. “I felt like laughing when I heard about the case for the first time. I have been in this profession for years and it is my first such experience,” he said.

He said he had supplied sound equipment for various VVIP programmes including those of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Renjith also confirmed that his statement was recorded by the Cantonment police in this regard and promised to return his equipment after the examination.

The case drawn widespread criticism on social media and became a hot topic for trollers. “Please arrest the microphone,” one of the comments, widely shared on the social media platforms, read.

The case has also triggered a war of words between the ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress.

While CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan and Central Committee member AK Balan responded cautiously without rejecting the case, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan and senior Congress leader MM Hassan came out harshly criticising it.

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Govindan said the case would take its own course while Satheesan asked the police whether they were joking. “Are you guys joking, @kerala police? You got to be proud that Kerala Police is the first force in the world to file a case against a ‘Mike’ suo moto. Of course it’s a gravest violation of public order if a 10 sec technical glitch happens in the mike when @pinarayi vijayan is speaking,” Satheesan tweeted.

During the commemoration programme, slogans were shouted from the crowd in support of Chandy as Chief Minister Vijayan walked up to the podium and even prevented him from commencing his speech for a few seconds.

Only after some Congress party leaders gestured to the crowd to stop, did the sloganeering end and Vijayan was able to start his address.

(With inputs from agencies)