Members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) invaded the Asianet News office in Ernakulam, Kerala, at approximately 7:30 pm on Friday evening in a flagrant act of hooliganism. A group of roughly 30 SFI members entered the Asianet News regional headquarters, forced their way past security guards, and interfered in press operations by yelling slogans and also threatening the staff members and journalists.
The SFI is the Communist Party of India’s (Marxist) student branch. Asianet News is accused by CPI (M) of ‘manufacturing’ news regarding the alleged sexual assault of over ten girl students at a school in northern Kerala, as part of its program last year on the drug issue in the state.
A group of 35 SFI activists attacked #Asianet news office in Ernakulam after they barged inside the office and threatened to stop the operations.
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 4, 2023
SFI alleged that the media house is ‘crossing the limits and is forgetting the media ethics’.
Vivek joins @anchoramitaw with details pic.twitter.com/vN5OISRWmD
The SFI members tied a derogatory banner in front of the Asianet News headquarters before the Kerala police arrived. The banner said, “this institution is a disgrace to the culture of Kerala”.
After a complaint made by Asianet News resident editor Abhilash G. Nair, the Palarivattam police have initiated an investigation. Around 30 members of the SFI have been charged under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), and 149 (forming an illegal assembly for the prosecution of a common object of murder). The allegation has been backed by the CCTV video showing the SFI workers entering the Asianet office by outnumbering the security guards.
The Press Club of India took cognizance of the incident and urged the Kerala government to conduct an investigation into the incident. Condemning the incident, it 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.”
We express concern and lodge our protest over SFI activists reportedly entering the @AsianetNewsML office in Ernakulam and intimidating the staff.
— Press Club of India (@PCITweets) March 3, 2023
These strong arm tactics have no place in a democracy.
The Kerala government should probe this incident swiftly. pic.twitter.com/pLHmz3vWYN
Several other media associations and organizations like Thiruvananthapuram Press Club and KUWJ District Committee also condemned the incident and have decided to launch protest programs on March 4 (today). “Criminals should not be allowed to thrive under cover of organizations,” said Thiruvananthapuram Press Club President M Radhakrishnan and Secretary K N Sanu demanding arrest of the activists.
Leaders of the opposition meanwhile asserted that there was a high-level conspiracy behind the violence. VD Satheesan, the leader of the opposition, denounced the SFI activists’ attack on the Asianet News headquarters in Kochi. Satheesan stated that these behaviors were unheard of in Kerala and are comparable to what occurs in authoritarian states.
Satheesan said that it was fascist to break into the media office with a threatening tone while on the other side, they spoke about press freedom but only used violence against the media.
Earlier, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had condemned the IT raids on the Mumbai and Delhi offices of the UK-based media outlet BBC. The CPI (M) said that the raids on the BBC offices were infringement on press freedom and it was objectionable and that it could embarrass the country on the international stage. The government had conducted raids on the complaints of tax evasion by the BBC.
Also, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury had questioned the Prime Minister over the raids. “First ban BBC documentaries. No JPC/enquiry into Adani exposures. Now IT raids on BBC offices! India: ‘Mother of democracy’?” Yechury had asked on Twitter.
Notably, several SFI activists showcased the BBC documentary on the Gujarat riots which had been banned by the Indian government. Now isn’t SFI which is the student wing of the CPI (M) barging into a media house, an infringement on press freedom, and objectionable?
