Editors Guild Condemns the FIR against Deputy Editor of Mathrubhumi

The attention of the Editors Guild of India has been drawn to the recent case of the Kollam Police in Kerala registering an FIR against Mr. Venu Balakrishnan, Deputy Editor and Anchor of Mathrubhumi News Television channel. This was following a complaint filed by local leaders of DYFI, the youth wing of the ruling CPI-M, under Sec. 153 A of IPC for initiating a discussion on the channel on an incident involving the torture of a young Muslim by the police and the ruckus in the State Assembly following police atrocities.

The Guild understands that what Mr Balakrishnan said as an anchor of the show has been taken out of context and made the basis for lodging the FIR. The Guild considers the contemplated police action against him, based on the FIR, to be reprehensible and an attack on the freedom of the press. The Left-ruled State of Kerala must take note of this unfortunate incident, engineered as it is by a group affiliated to the ruling party, and ensure that the police is restrained from taking any action that undermines the freedom of the press and the justice delivery system.