Coimbatore: The journalists belonging to various media organisations in Coimbatore staged a demonstration at the Collectorate today to show their solidarity with the arrested Simplicity’s Founder D. Andrew Sam Raja Pandian.
Coimbatore: The journalists belonging to various media organisations in Coimbatore staged a demonstration at the Collectorate today to show their solidarity with the arrested Simplicity’s Founder D. Andrew Sam Raja Pandian.
The journalists who gathered at the Collectorate on Friday, followed social distancing norms and stuck pictures of padlocks on their mouths, claiming that their rights were being threatened by the police.
The protest followed the detention of two fellow journalists from Simplicity, Jerald and Balaji at the RS Puram Police Station for more than eight hours, on Friday. They claimed that the police failed to answer any of their pleas, as both Jerald and Balaji were being interrogated.
The duo were picked up by police and were later released by 7 PM after Founder Sam was arrested and remanded. The police justified their actions by claiming that Corporation Assistant Commissioner Sundararajan had complained about two news items published in Simplicity. The news items reported lack of food to PG Medical students of Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and irregularities in distributing corona relief fund in ration shops.
He was booked under sections including 188 and 505 (1) (b) under the Indian Penal Code and was lodged at the prison in Avinashi.
While the police claimed that charges were filed citing that the news were false, the media fraternity claimed that actions were taken against the former CMCH Dean for the incident involving food supply to PG medical students. The PG students had sent a letter to Health Secretary, a copy of which is available with the media.
Opposition parties have also voiced against corona relief fund distribution through ration shops.
Disappointed with the action of the police, they demanded that the media fraternity be left to work with freedom.
“We see this as a warning to all the journalists trying to stop us write against the Government. Sam should be immediately released and justice should prevail,” they said.
Meanwhile, various opposition leaders including MK Stalin, Kamal Hassan, TTV Dinakaran and various outfits had voiced against the arrest of Sam.
Several media outlets including Print, TV, digital media have expressed their solidarity in the issue.