In the aftermath of recent local council elections in Kerala, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is alleging a "culture of fear" following an incident where a Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillor apologized for uttering "Jai Hind" during her oath-taking ceremony. The incident has sparked controversy and drawn criticism from BJP leaders, who claim it highlights an environment of political intimidation within the state.

Akhila G. S., an LDF councillor from the Kurakkanni ward, uttered "Jai Hind" after reciting her oath at the Varkala municipality ceremony. Following this, she reportedly laughed and hugged the ARO (Assistant Returning Officer), Dhanya, who was present on the dais. According to reports, the councillor stated that saying "Jai Hind" was unintentional.

The BJP's response was swift and sharp. Party leaders have condemned the councillor's subsequent apology, arguing that it reflects an environment where expressing patriotic sentiments is met with disapproval and fear of reprisal. They claim that the LDF, which governs Kerala, is creating a political climate where dissenting voices are suppressed, and even uttering a nationalist slogan like "Jai Hind" requires an apology.

"Jai Hind" was a slogan of the INA (Indian National Army). It was coined by Zain-ul-Abideen-Hasan, a close aide of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Before this, soldiers in the INA used religious or regional greetings like "Ram Ram", "Sat Sri Akal", or "As-salamu alaykum," so Netaji wanted a common secular greeting. Today it is the mandatory greeting used by officers in the armed forces.

In response to the incident, CPM Varkala Area Secretary M. K. Yusuf clarified that the party would not take any action against the councilor, stating that anyone with patriotism can say "Jai Hind" and there is nothing wrong with it. Other LDF workers also reportedly consoled councilor Akhila.

This incident occurs against a backdrop of existing political tensions between the BJP and LDF in Kerala. In June 2025, the LDF accused BJP councillors of corruption and staged protests demanding their resignation. The LDF alleged that the BJP was sponsoring counter-protests to divert attention from the allegations against its own councillors.

Meanwhile, in Kozhikode, two newly elected councillors, one from CPM and one from BJP, were unable to take their oaths because they were in jail following convictions in criminal cases.