A group of about 30 SFI pushed past the security personnel and reached the regional office of Asianet News and disrupted news operations. They shouted slogans inside the office and threatened the employees.
In a brazen act of hooliganism, members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) attacked the Asianet News office in Ernakulam, Kerala, at around 7:30 pm on Friday evening. A group of about 30 SFI members reached the regional office of Asianet News, pushed past the security personnel and disrupted news operations. They shouted slogans inside the office and threatened the employees.
SFI is the student wing of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist. On Saturday, CPI-M sources alleged a complaint against Asianet News for allegedly creating fake news using a minor girl about the alleged sexual assault of over ten girl students at a school in northern Kerala as part of its programme last year on the drug menace in the state.
Before the Kerala Police arrived, the SFI workers tied an abusive banner in front of the Asianet News office. The Palarivattam police have registered a case following a complaint filed by Abhilash G Nair, resident editor of Asianet News. The SFI members have been booked under various sections of the IPC, including 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and 149.
The CCTV footage of the SFI workers breaking into the office by overpowering the security personnel has been given as evidence along with the complaint.
Following the incident, the Press Club of India demanded that the Kerala government launch an investigation.
We express concern and lodge our protest over SFI activists reportedly entering the office in Ernakulam and intimidating the staff.
These strong arm tactics have no place in a democracy.
The Kerala government should probe this incident swiftly. pic.twitter.com/pLHmz3vWYN
The Press Club of India took to Twitter to condemn the incident and said, "We express concern and lodge our protest over SFI activists reportedly entering the Asianet News office in Ernakulam and intimidating the staff. These strong-arm tactics have no place in a democracy. The Kerala government should probe this incident swiftly."
Various media associations and organizations, including Thiruvananthapuram Press Club and KUWJ District Committee, will organize protest programs on Saturday.
Opposition leaders alleged that the violence was part of a high-level conspiracy. Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan condemned the act of the SFI activists on the Kochi regional office of Asianet News. Satheesan said that their actions are similar to what happens in places where there is a totalitarian state and that this was unheard of in Kerala.
On the one hand, they speak of freedom of the press, but on the other, they resort to violence against the media, Satheesan said, adding that it was fascism to invade the media office with a threatening tone.
The Kerala Journalists' Union has strongly condemned the actions of the SFI. Breaking into the office of a media organization and threatening its employees is not protest, it is hooliganism, the Union said, adding that a country like Kerala, which values democratic values, cannot accept this. KUWJ State President MV Vineetha and General Secretary R Kiran Babu demanded that strong legal action be taken.
Demanding that the government takes strict action to ensure media freedom, the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club said that criminals should not be allowed to thrive under cover of organizations. Thiruvananthapuram Press Club President M Radhakrishnan and Secretary K N Sanu demanded that the culprits should be arrested and legal action should be taken.