On Sunday, when the DMK top brass was directing its anger at the media for its poll debacle, its cadre attacked journalists and camera crew of three prominent English news channels in front of party treasurer M.K. Stalin’s house.
DMK president M. Karunanidhi started his media interaction on Sunday with a scathing attack on the media, holding it responsible for the party’s loss, even singling out The Hindu for creating trouble within his family.
In the evening, journalists rushed to Mr. Stalin’s house on Cenotaph Road hoping to get his reactions to the news that he had resigned from his party post. They were reporting from the scene and referred to Mr. Stalin’s elder brother M.K. Alagiri’s claims that the entire resignation episode was ‘a drama’.
The DMK cadre took objection to this and assaulted the journalists and damaged their camera equipment. A cameraman sustained rib injuries and was admitted to a private hospital.
Television channel Times Now’s Shabbir Ahmed, who was among those assaulted, said a large number of journalists had assembled in front of Mr. Stalin’s house to get his reaction.
Even after the assault, the DMK cadre reportedly turned up at the local office of a private news channel and threatened the staff with dire consequences.
The journalists registered a complaint at the Teynampet police station and also asked the commissioner’s office to take steps against those responsible for the attack.
The Madras Reporter’s Guild issued a statement condemning the attack on the journalists.
On Sunday night, after several political leaders condemned the attack on the media, DMK organisation secretary T.K.S. Elangovan issued a press statement that said, some DMK cadre who had gathered in front of Mr. Stalin’s house had entered into arguments with the media after they heard some wrong statements being made about their leader. In the meantime, some ‘evil forces’ had exploited the situation and created confusion. “However, I wish to condemn the attack on the press as the organisation secretary of the party,” he said.
