Day after he termed Pinarayi Vijayan as "Modi in a dhoti", Kerala Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan slammed the Kerala Chief Minister for terming the interview of a minor by Asianet News during its 'Narcotics is a dirty business' series as fake and stated that the action against the channel is part of a conspiracy.

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Accusing the Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Democratic Front of a revenge job, Satheesan termed the SFI attack on the Asianet News Kochi office and police 'search' on the Kozhikode office as a government plan to silence the media.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan justifies SFI attack, police 'search' on Asianet News

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Delivering his remarks ahead of the Opposition walkout from the assembly, Satheesan said: "Based on the minor's statement to Asianet News in November 2022, the Kerala Police has investigated and even filed a chargesheet in the case. Now, just because the channel missed a line which stated that visuals used over the minor's statement were representative, that does not mean that the entire reportage is wrong."

As part of its 'Narcotics is a dirty business' series on November 10, 2022, Asianet News broadcast the interview of a 14-year-old girl. The minor's identity was concealed. "How can it be fake news? Based on the complaint given by the minor's father, the Kerala Police had probed, arrested the accused and submitted the chargesheet in the narcotics case," Satheesan added.

The Opposition leader said that the move against Asianet News is part of a planned conspiracy. "The complaint against Asianet News runs contradictory to what Pinarayi Vijayan is saying. It is not right to use the opportunity to take revenge," Satheesan said, while also accusing the leaders of giving license to the CPI(M)-backed SFI to do anything.

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To substantiate the claim that the action against Asianet News is pre-planned, Satheesan cited CPI(M)-backed MLA PV Anwar's social media post days earlier hinting that action will be taken against Asianet News channel. "The state government and chief minister are making weak arguments against Asianet News. The Asianet News reportage is not fake news. The current controversy is over the ambiguous image," he said.

Meanwhile, Muslim League MLA PK Basheer said that CPI-M is trying to capture the media, which has money power and political power. PK Basheer said this in his speech announcing the walkout in the assembly. "An attempt is being made to implicate journalists in the case by citing technicalities," Basheer said, adding that the situation is such that "if you are praised, you will get an award, and if you turn against them, you will be sued and arrested".

"The CPI-M and LDF are defenders of democracy and freedom of the press? I heard the chief minister talking about the things done by the Congress during the Emergency. If you are advocating for freedom of the press, why did you file a case against Asianet News presenter Vinu V John on account of the remarks made by him in the discussion on the issue of hartal? Where do you support freedom of the press? Where is the honesty in the news of the patriot? Journalists are being sued for technicality. If you are praised, you get a media award; if you turn against you, you are sued and arrested. This is the situation." Basheer said.

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