BJP's Kerala mouthpiece erroneously publishes Muslim League editorial
What's the story
In a rare printing error, the BJP's official mouthpiece Janmabhumi published the editorial page of Chandrika, a newspaper run by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), in its Kannur-Kasaragod edition on New Year's Day. The mix-up was discovered when IUML State President Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal received a call from a party worker congratulating him for his article published in Janmabhumi.
Printing error
Technical glitch at printing center causes mix-up
The incident was attributed to a technical error at the private computer-to-plate (CTP) center, which directly transfers digital newspaper page files onto printing plates. The plate for Chandrika's editorial page was mistakenly sent with Janmabhumi's plates, resulting in the unusual "editorial crossover," per the Hindu. Ganesh Mohan, Janmabhumi's Kannur bureau chief, confirmed that it was a technical mix-up during the printing process.
Unintentional publicity
Chandrika's editorial page reaches wider audience
"Luckily, there was nothing directly targeting the BJP on the Chandrika editorial page on the day," said a BJP worker in Kasaragod. The page included articles by Thangal, MK Muneer, and Mohammed Shah. Thangal humorously remarked that he was glad to connect with a different section of readers due to this mix-up. Chandrika editor Kamal Varadoor also took it in stride, calling it an unexpected dose of publicity from a rival newspaper.
Online reaction
Social media reacts to unusual editorial crossover
The incident quickly became a talking point on social media, with many finding humor in the mix-up. Senior CPI(M) leader MV Jayarajan joked that "everyone knows about the closeness between League and BJP leaders and workers, who joined hands for power." "It must be assumed that this proximity led to a major blunder, resulting in the creation of 'Chandrabhumi'—something that could never have been imagined," he said.