THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Asianet reporter Akhila Nandakumar, who reported live on the mark list controversy involving an SFI leader at Maharaja's College, was booked and this has led to widespread protests. Leaders of various political parties came out against the action.

CPM state secretary MV Govindan was also criticized for justifying the action of filing a case. Opposition leader VD Satheesan said that this is a step to cover up a serious crime. He said that the idea that the complainant being turned into the accused cannot be accepted in any way and demanded that the case be withdrawn immediately.

CPI leader C Divakaran also condemned the action. 'Do not understand what Akhila Nandakumar did wrong. While freedom of the press is the declared policy of the Left Front, the act of undermining it is unacceptable. Good administrators should be able to absorb criticism', Divakaran said.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan responded that the Home Department is run by SFI goons and the case was filed against the media worker with the knowledge of the CPM. This is why CPM state secretary MV Govindan is justifying the action.

Eminent writer Prof MK Sanu opined that the case against Akhila was not right. He stated that the college should have formed a committee and investigated the complaint first and then legal action should have been taken.

Sahitya Akademi president and poet K Satchidanandan said that the case against Akhila is a challenge to the freedom of media.

Pinarayi is Modi's elder brother: K Sudhakaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KPCC president K Sudhakaran MP said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is the elder brother of Modi who took revenge against the media including BBC and MediaOne for criticizing BJP. Sudhakaran also sarcastically mocked that the Chief Minister, who was lamenting that India has fallen to 161st place in the world in terms of media freedom, has consolidated media freedom in Kerala.

An attempt is being made to cover up the wrongdoings by silencing the media. A case of conspiracy was filed against the KSU leaders who brought out the incident of the SFI state secretary who did not take the exam getting the pass certificate, and against the media worker who broke the news. Pinarayi's is a strange regime where the complainant is getting accused. SFI leader K Vidya, who got the job by forging documents, was neither arrested nor was any evidence found. It is known under whose wings Divya is hidden. Sudhakaran also reminded that if the police cannot catch them, then people will have to do it.

Fascist behavior of government: K Surendran

KOZHIKODE: BJP State President K Surendran said that it is unheard of in our country to file a case against a media worker for reporting the news of a former SFI leader who obtained a job by forging documents and an SFI state secretary who passed the exam without even writing it. Why isn't the All India General Secretary of CPM, who speaks passionately about freedom of speech and media, not responding on the Kerala issue?

The government is using the police to suppress the media in Kerala. They are trying to jail those who question the government. Asianet Reporter also gave same the news which was reported by all the other media. It is clear that it is not fabricated news by any media. Yet taking action against a media worker and arresting them for that news is extremely fascist.