Mangalore: CPI (M) Politburo Member M A Baby Visits Naveen Soorinje, Slams Govt
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)
Mangalore, Dec 28: M A Baby, CPI (M) Politburo member on Thursday December 27 paid a visit to jailed journalist Naveen Soorinje who has been hospitalized at Wenlock for chicken pox. Soorinje has been lodge in the hospital's block for jail inmates.
Addressing mediapersons later, he said that an emergency-like situation has been prevailing in Karnataka.
He visited the city after participating in the protest against CPI (M) Made Snana and caste discrimination at Udupi on Thursday.
M A Baby said that it was strange that a journalist had been arrested for reporting on immoral activities. "Soorinje has been sent to jail for reporting and capturing the incident on video,. The freedom of a journalist has been been violated and the government is solely responsible for this," he said.
"The various incidents that have taken place violating the freedom of expression remind me of the situation that prevailed during Emergency. CPI (M) strongly condemns the government's action in this matter," he said.
"It is a matter of shame that a journalist has been put in prison for the past 50 days for reporting the assault on girls by Sangh parivar," he added.
"The Indian Constitution does not allow discrimination on the basis of caste, colour and category. Rituals like Made Snana and caste discrimination over serving food at temples are been performed to separate Dalits from others," he said, urging the government to come forward and stop such practices.