Journalists and representatives from various journalist associations expressed their dissent over Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai’s alleged derogatory remarks towards them. The protest, held at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai on 25 January 2024, was triggered by Annamalai’s comments directed at senior television journalist Karthigaichelvan of News 18 Tamil Nadu.
This arose as Annamalai shared his opinion that DMK scion and Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin wasn’t subjected to challenging questions during an interaction and compared it to a friendly match. However, his use of a colloquial Tamil term to convey this opinion was perceived as derogatory by certain journalists. Despite the controversy, Annamalai declined to apologize for his language, and in response to a protest by journalists, he issued a statement cum video explaining that the ‘first layer of the ‘DMK onion’ had been activated.
N. Ram’s Anti-Democratic Elitism
During the meeting, N Ram, Director of The Hindu Group, urged journalists to unite and create a “minimum common program” against Annamalai. He suggested that criminal proceedings should be initiated against Annamalai, describing him as a repeated offender with a motive. Ram emphasized that only Karthigaichelvan could initiate this. Further, Ram advocated not giving publicity to Annamalai, labeling him as an extremist who should be deprived of oxygen (publicity). Ram aligned himself with the ruling dmk government’s stance, highlighting his previous publications in newspapers and articles, showering adulations for the late DMK patriarch Karunanidhi.
Nakkheeran Gopal’s Third-Rated Speech
Nakkheeran Editor R Gopal during the speech called Annamalai as ‘Paradesi’ (a casteist slur word that denotes a wastrel or wanderer), goat, and suggested his media team use beep instead of his name and decided to boycott Annamalai. Finally, he requested all media organizations to boycott him like his organization saying this was an attempt to ‘divide and rule’ policy.
“Our editorial team has decided that from here one we shouldn’t write about “goat” (referring to Annamalai).” and goes on to show the cover image of the last issue of his magazine in which Annamalai’s depicted derogatorily.
“Now also our folks are recording a video. Now you’ve mentioned that paradesi’s name. I’m now thinking how to remove that name. Because we’ve decided that his name should not come. Then people will come and mock saying you’ve put his name. So, I’ve to tell them to put beep.”, he said.
R Gopal has been vocal in supporting the DMK government and has consistently dedicated himself to promoting fake news and Hindu hatred on numerous occasions to bolster the DMK.
The True Face Of The DMK Stooges
Malini Parthasarathy, former Chairperson and Editor at The Hindu upon resigning from her position at the publishing group, attributed her decision to the shrinking space for her editorial perspectives. She mentioned her ongoing efforts to free The Hindu’s narrative from deeply ingrained ideological biases and voiced apprehensions about the diminishing opportunities for her initiatives in recent times, leading her to make the challenging decision to step down.
Earlier during the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung television reports extensively covered the significant damage in affected regions. In contrast, print media The Hindu overlooked the challenges faced by Chennai and published news about Parliament proceedings and an honor killing on the state of its front page covering the government’s mismanagement.
In another instance The Hindu published an article titled “Not clear if Sengol was presented to Mountbatten, says Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam head,” quoting the Adheenam pontiff questioning the significance of presenting the Sengol to Lord Mountbatten since he was leaving India and handing over powers. The article suggested a lack of evidence supporting Mountbatten and Rajaji’s involvement in the power transfer during the Sengol event. This information became fodder for the Congress to criticize the Modi Government for celebrating the Sengol. the Adheenam head’s agreement when it was pointed out that there was no evidence indicating the scepter as a symbol of the “transfer of power” and issued a statement after some time only when Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that the Sengol, symbolizing the transfer of power from the British to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the issue debunked.
Not only The Hindu but also the employees were seen to spread hatred of Hindu gods when Hindustan Times journalists tweeted about the Hindu God Krishna sparked a series of mocking comments about Hindu Gods from journalists at The Wire and The Hindu. Suprakash Majumdar, a freelance journalist with The Wire, tweeted suggesting that “Lord Hanuman had a gay crush on Lord Rama,” followed by a question asking for others’ opinions on the matter. In response, a journalist named Suchitra from The Hindu mocked the sentiment, suggesting that Hindus would now claim to be the most tolerant religion, and urged Majumdar not to provide them with ‘ammunition.’
He has also faced criticism for allegedly pursuing a biased agenda in his reporting under the guise of journalism. Various individuals have called out the newspaper for engaging in partisan reporting, spreading misleading information, and using doctored images in coverage of the Rafale deal. The Hindu’s Frontline, published an “exclusive interview” with Moussa Abu Marzouk, the head of Hamas’ international relations office in Doha, Qatar, raising concerns about the outlet’s credibility.
Previously during COVID, The Hindu published an article with the headline “India’s COVID-19 scenario very very difficult, says Danish Prime Minister,” suggesting deep concern from Denmark regarding the COVID-19 situation in India. However, the Danish Prime Minister had merely acknowledged the challenges India faces in controlling the pandemic, stating, “The situation is very very difficult for you.” Denmark’s Ambassador to India, H. E. Freddy Svane, responded by calling out The Hindu’s news as twisted and untrue, clarifying the misrepresentation of the Danish Prime Minister’s statement.
Earlier, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hindu released an article with the title “India’s COVID-19 scenario very very difficult, says Danish Prime Minister,” implying significant worry from Denmark regarding India’s COVID-19 situation. However, Denmark’s Ambassador to India, H. E. Freddy Svane, denounced The Hindu’s report as distorted and false. He clarified the misrepresentation of the Danish Prime Minister’s statement in response to the article.
The newspaper has earlier faced accusations of disseminating false information, anti-Hindu propaganda and left-leaning ideologies marking a departure from its once impartial journalistic reputation. Under its current directorship, it openly promotes a narrative opposing the principles of freedom of speech and expression.
The articles in Nakkheeran were criticized previously for being a source of misinformation targeting migrant workers. Previously, Nakkheeran’s articles faced criticism for disseminating misinformation, particularly targeting migrant workers. One notable instance involves a misunderstanding regarding Uttar Bharat Bhavan, inaccurately portraying it as a refuge for migrant workers. Contrary to this portrayal, the Bhavan functions as a hub for individuals from North India, similar to Tamil Nadu House or Puducherry House in New Delhi for residents of those respective regions. The articles also contained inaccuracies about the e-SHRAM card, falsely implying that it provides ration cards and voter IDs to cardholders. In reality, the e-SHRAM card serves as a centralized database, offering social security benefits to workers in the unorganized sector. Launched by the Modi government in 2021, the e-SHRAM scheme has garnered 28.6 crore sign-ups since its inception.
Additionally, a video associated with Nakkheeran falsely claims that the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) permits candidates from other states to obtain jobs in Tamil Nadu’s public service.
In 2018, Nakkheeran Gopal published a story in his magazine casting aspersions on former Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit linking him with a sex scandal that happened in Madurai Kamaraj University at the behest of one Nirmala Devi. He was apprehended and subsequently released for charges of defamation, Notably the DMK came to his aid and condemned the ruling ADMK government under the guise of supporting freedom of expression.
Gopal had linked Tamilnadu BJP leader H. Raja with the Principal of the Sakthi International School where a class 12 student died under mysterious circumstances. Raja came down heavy on Nakkheeran Gopal calling him a ‘mini Mallya’ taking a jibe at his non-repayment of the loan.
DMK’s Henchmen
Whenever the DMK holds authority and faces significant criticism it cannot tolerate, a sequence of crackdowns ensues targeting political activists, journalists, and social media participants who openly oppose the DMK and the Dravidian ideology. These actions are often carried out either under the guise of police measures or through individuals associated with the DMK, referred to as B-teams, D-Stocks, or purportedly sympathetic journalists.
Let’s start with Dravidianist supporter journalist Kathigaichelvan, Editor of News18 Tamil, in which the entire narrative started. He received negative criticism for soft questions that were asked to the DMK scion Udhayanidhi Stalin and a few years ago, he had interviewed MK Stalin in a similar fashion which also drew the ire of the public for not asking pointed questions. The father-son duo both had similar questions including fitness, campaigns, how he prepares himself, Do they have time for it, etc.
Senthil Vel who portraying himself as an ‘unbiased’ journalist currently hosted the second Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Youth Wing Conference held at Salem, was implicated in spreading false information and promoting caste-based discord. He falsely asserted that the accused teacher, linked to a sexual harassment case, belonged to the ‘Iyer’ caste, thereby perpetuating the dissemination of misleading details. It is worth noting that Maridhas, a popular vlogger, had previously accused Senthil of favoring a specific ideology and political party. News 18 Tamil Nadu decided to part ways with him in light of these allegations.
BR Aravindakashan from Sathiyam News, a Dravidian stockist journalist echoed similar partial truths endorsed by the DMK Minister. He went on to suggest that the Central government was seeking retribution against the Tamil people by providing fewer funds to Tamil Nadu. However, vigilant netizens promptly pointed out the flaw in the Minister’s argument, highlighting that the Khelo India scheme operates on demand, and since the Tamil Nadu government did not request funds from the Central Government, it received a proportionally smaller share of the overall allocated funds.
During the widespread flooding in Chennai, D-stocks attempted to support their narrative but faced criticism from netizens. In a particular incident, Aadhan Tamil journalist Madhesh wrote, “Chennai has flooded for one day rain. Commuters are suffering,” only to later delete the post for reasons unknown. Several users speculated that the journalist removed the tweet due to his perceived support for the DMK.
In another controversy, Tamil Nadu conferred the Kottai Ameer Communal Harmony Award on Mohammed Zubair of Alt News for “rendering various services to promote communal harmony”. But Zubair has a track record of disseminating false information and promoting propaganda against Hindus. He was responsible for sharing an edited clip of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s statements, resulting in the widespread chanting of ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ slogans in various parts of the country and violent attacks against Nupur Sharma. This misinformation campaign also led to the tragic deaths of several innocent Hindus who had expressed support for Nupur Sharma. Additionally, Zubair operated a Facebook page named “Unofficial Sususwamy,” where he engaged in mockery and ridicule of Hindu deities and symbols. He later deleted this Facebook account and removed certain controversial tweets that were perceived as offensive to Hindu sentiments.
Finally, Iyan Karthikeyan who heads Fact Checking Unit (FCU) was under the administrative purview of Special Programme Implementation. The state government opted to establish a dedicated Social Media Monitoring Centre within the police department, to combat fake news and misinformation on social media platforms. Instead, it established a Fact Checking Unit (FCU) under the administrative purview of Special Programme Implementation, which was given to Iyan Karthikeyan, a YouTuber associated with Dravidian ideologies and recognized for promoting DMK propaganda.
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Fmr Editor Of The Hindu, Malini Parthasarathy, Condemns The Publication For Their Stand On Annamalai
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party Chief K Annamalai had criticised allegedly biased journalists while explaining layers of the DMK onion at a book release function in 2022. He accused the first layer of journalists of promoting the Dravidian model and criticised their response to civilised debates. Following his comments on News18 Tamil Editor Karthigaichelvan’s interview of DMK Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin earlier in January 2023, Annamalai refused to apologise for calling the interview ‘toothless.’ Journalists demanded an apology and planned a protest. Subsequently, Annamalai posted a video highlighting the alleged biases of certain journalists, emphasising his stand against biased reporting.
A protest meeting at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai, attended by senior journalists and journalist association office-bearers, strongly condemned the “inappropriate” comments made by TNBJP chief Annamalai against media persons.
N. Ram, Director of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited, emphasised that Annamalai’s remarks were not an isolated incident and suggested filing a criminal defamation case against him while advocating for limiting his publicity. Ram highlighted that even prominent BJP leaders like Vajpayee, Advani, and Modi refrained from making such derogatory comments. Ram also said, “.. they say we must starve them of oxygen. I am not saying he (Annamalai) is a terrorist but he is an extremist. He is behaving that way. So we must not give him that oxygen. We are not asking for his removal from the BJP, that is not our business. We condemn your offence, if you do not mend your ways, then we will think about it. He cannot just issue an apology for a formality and continue business as usual.”
Nakkheeran Editor R.R. Gopal announced a media boycott of the BJP leader, accusing him of employing a ‘divide and rule’ strategy.
Other senior journalists and media organisation representatives joined in condemning Annamalai’s “insensitive” remarks, highlighting the need for responsible discourse in political leadership and media relations.
Following this, Malini Parthasarathy, Director at Kasturi & Sons Ltd., former Chairperson of The Hindu Group, and former Editor at The Hindu, expressed her concerns on the issue on her X handle. She wrote that as a significant stakeholder in The Hindu, she felt compelled to address what she perceived as biased and prejudiced news reports on their pages. Malini criticised the journalists in Chennai for attacking the TN BJP chief, especially the call to blackout coverage, deeming it unacceptable for any reputable news organisation. She emphasised that it would be a violation of the right to freedom of expression if The Hindu complies with the boycott call. Malini pointed out the absence of condemnation by the same journalists for the Madurai police booking the editor and publisher of Dinamalar over their report on the prohibition of various celebrations across Tamil Nadu for Ram Mandir Pran Prathishta. She clarified that her comments were not a defence of freedom of expression as claimed by those who consider themselves guardians of a free press.
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