Pinarayi Vijayan said that creating and broadcasting fake videos cannot be considered as the work of the media.
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala:
After the Kerala Police raided the Asianet News office, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that circulating fake videos cannot be considered the work of the media, adding that his government does not attack media outlets that promote opposition views. advocate for.
Addressing the state assembly, the Kerala CM said, “In November 2022, a video was aired on Asianet News TV channel, which featured a minor girl in her uniform, which amounts to spreading this misconception.” that government schools in Kerala are vulnerable to drug abuse.”
In August 2022, the Chief Minister said that the police investigation proved that a similar video made using another minor girl was not based on facts. In the case of the latest incident, it was told that the video was prepared by reproducing the earlier audio and circulating it using another girl.
He said that following a complaint given by MLA PV Anwar to the state police chief, a case has been registered at Vellayil police station in Kozhikode, which is being investigated.
Mr. Vijayan further said that there were protests in different parts of the state against the making of such videos and the abuse of a minor girl for it. Activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) have also organized a protest march to the TV channel’s office in Ernakulam district.
A case under IPC sections 143, 147, 149, 447 and 506 has been registered at Palarivattom Police Station and eight accused have been arrested, according to the complaint received from the media organization, the protesters have broken the gate in the office and disrupted the functioning has been interrupted. office held. Further investigation of the matter is on.
The Kerala CM said, “There is no question about media freedom here. Legal procedures against a person who has committed a criminal offense are not initiated after checking the possession of the person. The law does not allow this.” ”
He said that creating and broadcasting fake videos cannot be considered as the work of the media. To trap a minor girl in such an act and without informing her that she is being abused and seeking protection to uphold the freedom of the media is not part of the work of a brave media. Majority think that such degradation should not happen in the media sector.
“Those who are demanding the privilege of protection enjoyed by the media for the criminal act of making a fake video by abusing a girl should say whether a murder committed by someone in the course of news broadcasting work would not amount to murder. Will it become a ‘sacred work’ that is privileged to be protected by the media?” They said.
Referring to the Income Tax Department’s survey of BBC offices, Mr. Vijayan said that the protest here cannot be compared to the raid on the BBC office.
“The raid on BBC office was an act of retaliation against the channel’s disclosure about the role of the person in power in the Gujarat massacre. But here the fake video made by a channel (Asianet News) was not made because it is also a revelation against the ruler or the government and it is not provoking any ruler in that sense. Therefore, no resentment will arise from any ruler against it. Hence the allegation of ‘retaliation against the media’ will not stand here either ‘ Kerala CM.
CM Vijayan said, “We do not attack media outlets that advocate opposition views. But both Congress and BJP regularly follow this practice of silencing the media.”
Attacking the Congress, Vijayan said that seven foreign journalists were thrown out of the country, 250 journalists were sent to jail and 54 were denied accreditation. He said, “This is the so-called Congress style. Even media persons were labeled as terrorists to kill them. This is the history of Congress.”
The crime branch police team raided the office of Asianet News, one of the leading Malayalam news channels, based on the complaint of MLA PV Anwar.
On November 10, the channel aired a report titled ‘Narcotics is a dirty business’.
The MLA called this report fabricated and made a written complaint to the DGP.
On the basis of this, the police registered a case making four people of Asianet as accused. Two days ago, SFI activists barged into the Asianet office in Kochi. Today’s raid by Assistant Commissioner of Crime Branch V. Suresh and seven policemen is a continuation of these incidents.
A case was registered under sections of POCSO and Indian Penal Code.
Following the raid, Sindhu Suryakumar, executive editor of Asianet News, said in a statement on Sunday that the channel would “do free and fair journalism without fear” and cooperate with the investigation process.
“Asianet News will cooperate with any investigation in accordance with the law. The investigation is against a story as part of the campaign against the drug mafia, which is gaining strength. The allegations in the FIR are attempts to malign the image of the government to be done.” Sindhu Suryakumar said.
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