A prominent journalist and host of the Asianet TV channel Vinu V. John has long been the target of animosity from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala. In a new development, the incident from 2022, where the anchor condemned the Bandh (strike), has landed him in trouble yet again.
On February 20, the inspector of Cantonment Police Station issued a fresh summon ordering the anchor to appear before him on February 23. He is also directed to adhere to the litany of conditions dictated in the notification.
When Modi gags media, CPI(M) cries foul, but what when #Kerala CM does it?
— IANS (@ians_india) February 22, 2023
Read: https://t.co/IHSblOh6n3 pic.twitter.com/OhGJJnxERT
John talked to the news agency IANS and informed that he will comply with it.
Background of the issue
The incident took place on March 28, 2022 when John was anchoring the news bulletin at Malayalam TV news channel, Asianet News. A patient who was being transported in an auto rickshaw had to suffer harassment and delays because of the bandh called by the Communist party.
The auto driver, a person named Yasir Muthoor, was assaulted by the Communist goons in Malappuram for daring to defy the bandh and trying to take a patient to the hospital. Anchor Vinu John had criticised the CPM for the attack on the man.
John, who works with Asianet News, had questioned CPIM Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem, who sought to trivialise the assault by his party goons. It must be mentioned that the ‘failed’ Bharat Bandh was observed by the Communist party between March 28 and March 29 in 2022.
Secularism not in danger now
— 🇮🇳 Ramaswamy Iyer 🕉️ (@iyer_rn) March 29, 2022
Yasir Muthoor, an auto rickshaw driver from Malappuram, Kerala Brutally lynched by 25+ Marxist goons
for the Mistake of
Taking a Critical Patient to Hospital defying Hartal. @marunadannews
Full videohttps://t.co/Nl7IHp3Rcf pic.twitter.com/WFgPUYPREY
The anchor expressed his anger over the issue and questioned, “If anyone did such a thing to Elamaram Kareem (trade unionist and a member of CPI-M), what would have happened,” in his debate show, drawing the fury of the ruling party.
Kerala saw a bandh (shutdown) organized by 22 central trade unions on March 28-29, when protesters physically took over the state’s streets as residents fled for cover. There were reports of altercations in certain locations as people attempted to open their shops during the bandh.
Following John’s statement, Kareem, who is CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member, declared that he will file a grievance with the police commissioner as well as the Rajya Sabha chair. On April 28 of that year, a case was brought against the former, and a FIR was registered under several sections of the Indian Criminal Code (IPC).
The Peroorkada Area Committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) called for demonstrations against John and his isolation. Furthermore, the unit plastered posters at his residence.
Palpable frustration! Posters against @vinuvjohn in different parts of Thiruvananthapuram, asking the police to arrest him for questioning the atrocities committed by trade union strikers. When was the last time police arrested somebody after seeing a public poster?! pic.twitter.com/Oq0jWa8Msv
— Sreejith Panickar (@PanickarS) April 3, 2022
A few days afterwards, trade union workers from all political parties, aside from the BJP, marched to the news station to express their outrage at John’s remark.
CPM pretends to advocate free media, criticises even an Income Tax survey as a political vendetta of the Modi govt
This action by the state government is viewed as an effort to stifle and punish media for expressing their right to free speech.
Earlier, Sitaram Yechury, party’s general secretary, released an official statement in defence of BBC. He attacked the central government for conducting income tax surveys in the offices of the controversial British news agency.
We condemn searches conducted by the Income Tax department at BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai. This is a blatant attempt to intimidate and harass the television channel for having telecast the documentary, `The Modi Question’. This standard tactic of the Modi govt won’t wash. pic.twitter.com/EnXlQoKMtW
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) February 14, 2023
The leftist party, which hails itself as a supporter of media freedom in the country, has chosen to take a very different course when it came to criticism directed against them.
