Senior Kerala Journalist Has no Respite From Trolls Even After Passing Away

KOCHI:
Death is supposed to be the great leveller.

Political differences, professional rivalries and personal disagreements are expected to end when a person passes away.

But in the case of 54-year-old senior journalist Jijo John Puthenzheth, even death did not appear to command that basic respect.

Jijo suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away on Wednesday morning.

The social media reaction to the news of his death has left many in Kerala deeply disturbed.

Beneath posts reporting the passing of the senior journalist, known for his sharp and often critical reports, a section of social media users chose to abuse and vilify him.

The comments were not merely political criticism.

They targeted a man who was no longer there to answer back.

Jijo, a senior journalist with Malayala Manorama’s Kochi unit, was particularly known for his investigative reports and his coverage of politics and governance.

Some of his reports were critical of the Left and the CPI-M. That was part of his job as a journalist.

It was also part of the reason why he had his share of critics.

But criticism of a journalist’s work is one thing.

Turning his death into an occasion for political abuse is quite another.

The reaction has triggered strong resentment across sections of society.

Many have questioned whether Kerala, which has long prided itself on its social values, political awareness and sense of decency, has reached a point where even a death cannot rise above political hostility.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s condolence message offered a striking reminder of the journalist behind the byline.

Satheesan said he had started for office that morning (Wednesday) after reading the byline “Jijo John Puthenzheth”, only to learn of his death after a Cabinet meeting.

He said it took him time to come to terms with the reality that Jijo was no more.

For Satheesan, Jijo was not merely a senior journalist. He was a fellow townsman and a close friend.

He recalled meeting him just days before his death and said their conversations on various issues had been a regular part of his political life.

Jijo’s professional standing was equally significant.

His journalism had won national recognition, including the Ramnath Goenka Award in 2015.

He had brought out several reports that attracted national attention in investigative journalism. That is the Jijo who deserves to be remembered.

Not the caricature created by political hostility on social media.

There may be sharp disagreements with a journalist’s reports.

There may be anger over what he wrote. There can be arguments over his politics or his methods.

But there should be a line that cannot be crossed. Death should be that line.

In Jijo’s case, sadly, even that line was crossed. And that perhaps says less about the journalist who died and much more about the society that watched it happen.