KOZHIKODE: The DYFI and the Youth Congress’ tussle over the controversial Kafir screenshot has further escalated with the former announcing a reward of Rs 25 lakh to anyone who proves that the screenshot was taken by its Vadakara block president R S Ribesh. The announcement was made through a poster uploaded on the DYFI Vadakara block committee’s Facebook page.
In response, the Youth Congress issued a counter-poster, asserting that if Ribesh discloses the real culprits in the ‘Kafir’ screenshot case, the youth wing of the INC (Indian National Congress) party would pay the reward. The poster was endorsed by Youth Congress state general secretary V P Dulkifil.
Earlier, the police submitted a report to the High Court asserting that Ribesh had first shared the screenshot in ‘Red Encounter’, a Whatsapp group.
Meanwhile, DYFI held an explanatory meeting on Sunday at Vadakara Bank Road to address the controversy. During the meeting, DYFI district secretary P C Shyju defended Ribesh and accused the Muslim League and the Congress of twisting his intentions.
“Ribesh forwarded the screenshot to expose the communal propaganda being spread by the UDF. It doesn’t mean he created the screenshot. Rather, he was warning the society by being a responsible leader,” Shyju said.
He further alleged that UDF leaders, including Muslim League’s Parakkal Abdulla, falsely accused Ribesh of creating the screenshot. He affirmed that the DYFI would support Ribesh and invited any investigative agency to interrogate him, even expressing readiness for Ribesh to undergo a lie detector test.
Shyju also accused Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil of being the mastermind behind the screenshot.
“We will pay Rs 25 lakh if any agency proves Ribesh created the screenshot. If a thorough investigation is conducted, it will come to light that the ‘fake’ president was the one behind the screenshot, he said, targeting Mamkootathil.