'Policy of intimidating media...' Opposition leaders slam CPI-M over SFI hooliganism at Asianet News office
Opposition leaders continued to target the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the Students Federation of India's hooliganism at the Asianet News Kochi office on Friday evening
FollowAs the investigation into the Students Federation of India's hooliganism at the Asianet News Kochi office on Friday evening continues, more information is emerging about those who took part in the alleged 'protest'. The SFI mob was allegedly led by SFI Ernakulam district leaders, including District Secretary Arjun Babu, District President Prajith Babu and Ernakulam Area Secretary Ashish.
A mob of around 30 people stormed the Asianet News regional office at 7:30 pm, forced their way past security personnel and stormed into the office room on the fourth floor. They shouted slogans, threatened the employees and disrupted office operations for an hour. Their footage inside the channel office was handed over to the police.
The Palarivattam police had registered a case on the complaint by Asianet News Resident Editor Abhilash G Nair. Thereafter, the police charged the hooligans with unlawful assembly, creating tension, trespassing and intimidation and booked them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Meanwhile, Opposition leaders continued to target the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the incident. To note, the SFI is the students' wing of the CPI-M.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran termed the violence perpetrated against Asianet News as a challenge to democratic values. Sudhakaran also demanded that the perpetrators be brought to justice.Â
Congress Member of Parliament K Muraleedharan also slammed the SFI action. The media in Kerala is being attacked for reporting news against the will of the CPI-M, he said, adding that this meant that there is no media freedom in Kerala either.
Strongly condemning the incident, another Congress MP, TN Prathapan, demanded that the CPI-M State Secretary and the Chief Minister clarify their stance on the SFI attack on Asianet News, which has been telling the truth to the people. Pratapan also accused a section of the media of trying to silence the honest media, which he termed as a danger to democracy.Â
Congress MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan lamented CPI-M's continued silence hours after the attack on the Asianet News office. "Behind the violence is the policy of intimidation and subjugation of the media," Thiruvanjoor said, adding that the assailants dared to enter the media house because they were sure that no one would question them.
Also Read:Â SFI hooliganism in Asianet News Kochi office; 30-member mob disrupts operations, threatens journalists
