Popular vlogger and social media activist Maridhas released a video on July 5 exposing the background and working of Tamil news channels like News 18 Tamil Nadu, News 7 and Puthiyathalaimurai. In his video, he primarily exposes the links between News 18 anchor M. Gunasekaran and Dravida Kazhagam, DMK and Communists.
Gunasekaran is the son-in-law of Kali Poongundran (Kaliamurthy Naidu) who is also the Deputy President of Dravida Kazhagam (DK). He is also being touted as the movement’s next president after K. Veeramani. Poongundran is known for his essays abusing the Hindu religion and Gods in the DK’s mouthpiece Viduthalai.
He was one of the man who instigated protests against Superstar Rajinikanth for his speech in Thuglak anniversary in January 2020 about E.V. Ramasamy’s Salem rally that portrayed Hindu Gods in bad taste under the garb of anti-superstition rally.
Maridhas in his video says that anchors in mainstream Tamil news channels like News 18, News 7, and Puthiyathalaimurai (run by SRM Group of Institutions owner and currently DMK MP T.R. Parivendhar) try to create a narrative that is favourable to the DK, DMK and Communists and that is against the present regime at the Centre and Tamil Nadu with separatist flavours. He also reveals about another employee of News 18, Jeeva Sagapthan whose wife shares connections with DK’s Oviya known for her comments against India and Hindus.
Maridhas makes a claim that 70% of News 18 Tamil Nadu employees have an affiliation with Communist or DK movements. He says that almost all of the Tamil News channels recruit their employees who subscribe to Communist and EVR’s ideology. He says that News 18 Tamil Nadu hides behind a neutral image but works in favour of DK, DMK and Communists. He adds that even the head of these news agencies have no control over the employees as their strings are pulled by ‘someone else’.
He also sheds light on an organization called Centre of Media Persons for Change (CMPC) (www.cmpc.in) which seems to be an extension of communists, DK groups. The Hindu’s N.Ram is also closely associated with this group.
The head of this organization is Haseef Mohamed, Senior Anchor and Correspondent of News 18 Tamil Nadu. He is also said to be a staunch communist. Here are some of his facebook posts.
Another person that he exposes is Peer Mohamed, founder of a digital portal called Ippodhu. Peer Mohamed was former Senior Editor at Thanthi TV and special correspondent at Puthiyathalaimurai TV.
In 2015, they had arranged a meeting condemning that freedom of expression is under attack. Puthiyathalaimurai had run a debate on whether “Thaali” (mangalsutra) is important or not! The channel earned the ire of a lot of people as Thaali is considered sacred by the Tamil populace. Maridhas in his video asks if whether these journalists has the guts to debate on whether ‘burqa’ is needed or whether ‘church’ is needed.
He also calls out the Youtube channel “Karuppar Kootam” that brazenly abuses Hindus and Hindu Gods.
Some of the persons associated with CMPC and content writers in news channels like News 18, Puthiyathalaimurai trace their history to One Mind Generation Research whose directors are Mohan Karthik, and Anbil Poyyamozhi Mahesh. It is said that the DMK party currently is run by Udhayanidhi Stalin (son of MK Stalin), Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi (son of former MLA and close confidante of MK Stalin Anbil Poyyamozhi), Mohan Karthik (son of current Anna Nagar MLA M.K. Mohan of DMK) and Sabareesan (son-in-law of MK Stalin).
He clarifies in his video that he does not share hatred towards media or journalists but is only against those who peddle a certain narrative. He warns in his video about the danger of hegemony of certain few who share one particular ideology and is favourable to one particular party which is currently prevalent in majority of the Tamil news channels. He says that there need to be journalists who can accommodate different opinions and also who can speak the truth boldly.
Maridhas has sent a report of the activities undertaken by journalists of News 18 Tamil Nadu to the board of directors of the Network 18 group. Through his video, he has also urged everyone to send a mail to the Network 18 group in order to bring about a change in the media houses that is currently infested with ‘poisonous snakes’.
It is in light of this that Maridhas once again finds himself against the likes of Communists, EVRists (followers of E.V. Ramasamy Naicker aka Periyar). The hashtag #StandWithNews18TN was trended by EVR, DMK and Communist sympathizers saying that press freedom in Tamil Nadu is under attack. Congress MP from Karur too tweeted regarding the matter.
Media is the fourth pillar of democracy. Its the duty and responsibly of the Media to speak Truth to power. Threatening them of dire consequences is a a pure goondaism. We should not let such things happened in the self respect soil of TamilNadu. #StandWithNews18TN
— Jothimani (@jothims) July 6, 2020
Maridhas has tweeted that it is DMK that stands as a threat to press freedom and not him. He said that if the press has freedom to question everybody so does he have the right to question the press that works for one party and one ideology. He reiterated that many of the journalists in Tamil Nadu are stooges of the DMK. He said that he welcomed the condemnation against him and said that he looks forward for more such every week. The next video is set to be released today (June 7).
ஊடக சுதந்திரத்திற்கும் , நேர்மைக்கும் இன்றைய ஆபத்து திமுக தானே தவிர மாரிதாஸ் அல்ல.
அனைவரையும் கேள்வி கேட்க ஊடகங்களுக்கு உரிமை உண்டு என்றால்!
ஒரு கட்சிக்கும் , சித்தாந்தத்திற்கும் வேலை செய்யும் உங்களின் போலி நடுநிலையைக் கேள்வி கேட்க மக்களுக்கும் அதே உரிமை உண்டு. ஆக— Maridhas (@MaridhasAnswers) July 6, 2020