Kerala Journalist Who Covered Protest Against Chief Minister Booked, Media Community Condemns Government
As the state government’s outreach program, Nava Kerala Sadas was going on in Kerala, there have been protests along the way, right from Kasargod against the program. The repeated protests, sloganeering and waving of black flags all the way have irked the government. In a recent protest occurred on December 10 when the protesters allegedly hurled shoes at the bus in which the chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers were travelling. The shoe hurling happened at a protest organized by the opposition Congress parity”s student wing, Kerala Students Union (KSU).
The police arrested four KSU protesters in relation to the protest. The arrested party workers included state office bearer Basil P, and activists Devakumar T, Jibin Mathew, and Jaiden Johnson – under sections 283 (danger or obstruction in a public way), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), read with section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
As the fifth accused, the police on December 22, booked a journalist, VG Vineetha from the 24 News. According to the police, Vineetha has been in communication with a few KSU workers and was aware of the impending protest. Therefore, the police say, as a journalist, she should have informed them as law enforcement officers about the protest ahead.
According to reports, Vineetha has been charged with criminal conspiracy, sparking protest from the media professionals. The media community questioned the nature of police booking a journalist for being in contact with politicians or covering a protest.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan responded to the media asking them to prove if there was no conspiracy. “There is no problem in doing journalism here. Now police have registered a case, saying there is a conspiracy. You say there is no conspiracy, so you can prove that. I don”t distrust this case,” Pinaray Vijayan said in a media brief.
The government has however booked several journalists in recent times. Rejaz Sydeek from Maktoob Media, R Sunil from Madhyamam, and Akhila Nandakumar from Asianet News, to name a few. FIR was registered against Asianet News’ Akhila Nandakumar when PM Arsho, a Student Federation of India (SFI) leader, alleged that she had conspired to cast aspersion on his exam results. But the police removed Akhila from the case, with no evidence found against her. The case has invoked protest from the media community.
