MK Muneer Faces Social Media Backlash Over Past Interview with YouTuber Shajan Skaria

Thiruvananthapuram: Muslim League leader MK Muneer, who had denied having any association with YouTuber Shajan Skaria, has come under scrutiny on social media after an old interview featuring the two resurfaced. The interview, given by Muneer to Skaria's YouTube channel, Marunadan Malayali, has once again become a topic of discussion.

At the Muslim Youth League state representatives' conference, Muneer had rejected claims that he visited the home of a person accused of spreading hate. He said that Shajan Skaria had visited his house when he was unwell and that his family did not have a practice of turning away people who came to their home. He also said that hate remained hate, regardless of who spread it or in what manner.

Following these remarks, Muneer's association with the YouTuber came under renewed discussion.

Social media users began sharing photographs and videos of the interview, accompanied by posts questioning the relationship between the two. Some pointed out that Shajan Skaria did not have similar ties with other Muslim League leaders who had been ill, while others argued that he had not simply turned up at Muneer's house out of the blue and that their association had a history.

The posts said the main issue was not whether he visited Muneer or Muneer visited him, but what relationship the Muslim League leader had with a YouTuber accused of spreading communal hatred. Muneer gave the interview to Shajan Skaria in May 2024, two years ago.

The report also claims that several leaders from the Muslim League and most members of the UDF ministry have close ties with Shajan Skaria. When Shajan Skaria's father died, Congress leaders, including Chief Minister VD Satheesan and ministers CP John, Sunny Joseph, PC Vishnunath, M Liju and K Muraleedharan, reportedly visited his house in person.

He had also recently revealed that the government had allegedly asked him to examine how fake YouTube channels could be regulated and submit a report.

With strong resentment reportedly emerging within the Muslim League over these issues, the association between a senior party leader and the YouTuber has become a source of concern for the party.