Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday said the government would initiate legal proceedings against a Malayalam news channel on the charge of impersonation.
“Trying to impersonate someone and call up Tourism Minister A.P. Anil Kumar is an offence. Moreover, failing to telecast the entire conversation with the Minister that was secretly recorded is unethical,” he said.
Mr. Chandy was inaugurating the Karumalil Sukumaran Memorial Foundation, an organisation set up in memory of Congress leader and former chairman of erstwhile Kollam Municipal Corporation Karumalil Sukumaran.
“Is impersonation part of journalism. The media have the right to be critical but media persons have to consider whether the methods they adopt in the name of journalism will come under the purview of freedom of the press. But the contention is that a section of the media is crossing the limits of such freedom,” the Chief Minister said.
“Constructive criticism by the media will always be respected,” he said.
“When an investigation is already on into the solar scam, the Opposition is demanding a judicial probe,” Mr. Chandy said adding the government was not averse to any probe.
“Once the probe is over, the Opposition can point out any shortcoming and the government will take remedial measures,” he said.
There was an erosion of cadres in the CPI(M) and it was to stay afloat that the party was hanging on to the solar scam, he alleged.
DCC president Pratapavarma Thampan presided over the function.
Congress leaders Sooranad Rajasekharan, E. Marydasan, and others spoke.
